


To Love You More

by HillaryLeonor



Category: Political RPF, Political RPF - US 20th c., Political RPF - US 21st c.
Genre: 2016 US Presidential Election, Alternative Universe - FBI, Arranged Marriage, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-29
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2018-11-21 06:04:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 48,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11351388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HillaryLeonor/pseuds/HillaryLeonor
Summary: Hillary, a lawyer for the Trump Organization, could not stand the treason that had been going on under her watch so she decided to tell everything she knew to the FBI. With everything that's at stake, she decided to go under the Federal Witness Protection Program.Meanwhile, Bill was recently fired from his job and as a result, his girlfriend dumped him. Heartbroken and financially ruined, he was looking for a new place to stay. He became tangled in Hillary's mess when when he decided to answer her ad for a roommate. One day, he discovered Hillary's secret. He was deeply moved by her bravery and offered to pretend to be her husband to keep her safe.Modern Day AU. Set 2017.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! As promised, I have posted my second AU fic. This is just the prologue that's why it's pretty short. I know the title is familiar to you because it's a title of a Celine Dion song but I was listening to it and I felt it captures the dynamic of the story I'm planning. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy this prologue :)
> 
> [Update] After reading the breaking news today, it seems my timing is impeccable. LOL.

“Oh fuck, this is a goldmine of evidence”

FBI agent Ash Berkeley could not believe his eyes. All of the papers, tapes and other paraphernalia in front of him – this was the Holy Grail of the Trump/Russia scandal. The details these evidences offer would be more than enough for the special prosecutor to indict the President and possibly force Congress to impeach him. The Russians may have been careful not to leave any trace of their wrongdoing, but Donald Trump wasn’t. And it so happened that a virtuous lawyer could not stand the unprecedented act of treason committed by this President and turned over everything she possessed to the Feds.

A few days ago, Hillary, a lawyer from Kasowitz Benson Torres, visited the FBI New York office and told them that she had information that was valuable to the Trump/Russia investigation. To prove that her information was the real deal, she secretly carried an internal memo dated August 2016 which corroborated some of the details of the Steele dossier. The FBI agents were stunned at the accuracy of the memo, so they decided to grant her an initial interview to assess the documents that she had in her possession. To protect her sources and methods, the FBI sent two of her agents to her apartment, disguised as real estate brokers.

“Ms. Rodham, if anybody from the White House or the Kremlin knew of what you just did...” warned Cindy Delaney, Berkeley’s boss.

Hillary nodded, fear evident in her face. “I know. I have understood the consequences. You are the first to know that I have these documents in my possession, and you are the first to learn that I am planning to turn it all in. I know the works, and I took the necessary steps to cover my tracks. But I cannot assure that those tracks will remain hidden. My bosses may find out that I have betrayed the confidence of their client, especially if these are leaked.”

Delaney understood. “Of course. We will assess all of these first and we will guide you through it,” she was rummaging through the binder of Trump memos. “But based on my initial assessment, this is a slam dunk. What do you say, Berkeley?”

“Definitely, Ma’am,” Berkeley agreed. “These are A+. Most likely she will have to be under witness protection”.

There it was. _Witness protection._ The phrase Hillary yearned to hear.

Delaney took off her glasses. “I remembered the high level Kremlin official that was dragged out of the meeting room. He was accused of treason and now, nobody knows were he is. That’s the level of threat that you could be facing, Ms. Rodham. Vladimir Putin isn’t a kind man. He likes James Bond-style assassinations.”

“I know. I read that he ordered that his political opponent be splashed with a chemical that turned his face green,” Hillary recalled.

“Well, Ms. Rodham certainly knows what she’s up against,” Berkeley noted.

“I do, and as I’ve said, I am willing to go all the way. This cannot continue,” Hillary declared, her voice trembling. “Since I became privy to these secrets, I cannot bear to look in the eyes of the people I know and love. They were conned. I knew they were conned, and I was doing nothing to change it. And I could not live with myself knowing that I didn’t do anything to bring them justice”. When she finished, tears were already visible in Hillary’s eyes.

“And we have your gratitude,” Delaney grasped Hillary’s hand and squeezed it. “You are one hell of a patriot, Ms. Rodham. And soon, a nation will be grateful for your courage”.

“I am with Delaney, Ms. Rodham,” Berkeley added. “You are our last, best hope for justice, and we are thankful for your service. If only more citizens are like you...”

Hillary was silently weeping, her head bent down and her tears trickling form her cheeks to her chest. Delaney took a pack of tissues from her purse and handed it to Hillary, who was grateful of the agent’s gesture.

“Thank you,” Hillary took the tissue and wiped her tears with it.

“It’s nothing,” Delaney smiled. “Moving on, we have three initial options for relocation: Milwaukee, San Diego or Little Rock.”

Hillary remained silent. All three cities were like the other side of the moon for her. She would have preferred to go back to her mother in Park Ridge or to New Haven where she spent her law school years.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Berkeley read her mind. “We cannot have the cities that you’ve been in. You’ll be easily traceable. Witness protection is never easy”.

Hillary nodded. “I understand”

“Let’s give her a couple of days to think about it,” Delaney suggested. “Maybe we could find another city or we can make better arrangements. But for now, these are what we offer, Ms. Rodham. We’ll take these documents for the assessment and we’ll communicate with you regarding your relocation. How does that sound?”

“That’s fine with me,” said Hillary.

“Good,” said Delaney. “I know you’re upset and I understand. Get some rest and think about our offer tomorrow. Do you hear me?”

Hillary nodded.

“Alright. Thanks for your help. We’ll just escort ourselves out. If you need anything, call us.”

“I will”.

As soon as Hillary was sure that the two FBI agents are gone from her apartment building, she wiped her tears and rushed to the nearest post office.

She needed to send a bunch of tax returns to the Washington Post.

* * *

The three days later, the cable and network news were blaring their sirens as the Post dropped this epic bombshell:

**_EXCLUSIVE: TRUMP TAX RETURNS CLEARLY SHOWS TIES TO RUSSIAN MAFIA, MONEY LAUNDERING_ **

 


	2. One

Bill sipped his coffee as he waited for his buddy, Joel at the diner. He was starving, so he went ahead and placed his order. Joel could place his once he was there.

Bill reached for his wallet in his pocket. He opened it and saw only two one hundred dollar bills. Normally, he would have around ten of these bills in his wallet. But after he got fired from his job weeks ago, everything went downhill for Bill. His girlfriend, Mia, of three years broke up with her, his housing loan was disapproved and now, his landlady was kicking him out of the apartment that he was renting ever since he moved to New York. Bill Clinton, once a Boy Wonder and possibly future Congressman from Arkansas, was now in a deep hellhole that he thought he could not get out of.

Bill was still living in the apartment that he rented, but he only had a week to move out or else he will be forcibly evicted. During his free time from job hunting, he was looking for a cheap but decent place to live in. Of course, this was New York City. There was no way he could find something cheap  _and_  decent. Bill wished that he had saved up enough money instead of wasting it all on leisure. Looking back, he didn’t understand why he blew $5,000 for a Rolex watch that he hadn’t touched since the day he bought it. 

Of course, Bill’s troubles were nothing compared to the heartbreak caused by his breakup with Mia. Their relationship was a piece of work, but they knew they were making progress. But Bill didn’t know that Mia was fucking one of his colleagues all the time that they were in a relationship. It stung when Bill found this out the next day after Mia dumped him. A secretary in his office, Gina Torres, told him about the affair because she caught the two fucking in the ladies’ room when Mia dropped by at the office and was waiting for Bill to finish his meeting. The revelation felt like a punch in the gut as he was seriously thinking of asking Mia to marry him.

He loved Mia. He truly did. It was like spring morning on the day he met her. He fell in love with her the moment he clapped his eyes on her. She was vibrant, spirited and beautiful. She was easy to love, to be honest. Within a month, they decided to move in together. And the rest, they say, was history.

Except that their history wasn't exactly pretty. Both Bill and Mia became engrossed in fulfilling their career goals, Bill in politics and Mia in the legal profession. While both were lawyers, their worlds rarely collided. Bill was climbing his way through the US Attorney's office while Mia was handling divorce and child custody cases. They spent less and less time for each other and more for career advancement. He only realized how far apart they were when Bill's mother asked him when he would marry Mia, and the prospect of marriage never occurred to him before. But still, Bill didn't give up on Mia.  He became focused her efforts on her, perhaps too much, to the point that his work performance declined. This time, he was intent on supporting Mia and finally asking her to marry him, but the cheating revelation dealt a devastating blow on him. All his love and effort, wasted for nothing.

Bill sighed. His life could not get any worse than this.

His thoughts of bitterness and self-pity were broken when the waitress handed in a cup and poured coffee in it. Being used to drinking premiere coffee, he frowned when he took his first sip. Yuck. Tasted like cheap shit. But his body’s need for caffeine overruled his tongue’s rejection of this poor excuse for a coffee, so he closed his eyes and gulped the drink, making no effort to savor it.

As he waited for Joel, his eyes darted towards the television screen hoisted near the stools. It seemed that the pundits at CNN were discussing the news the Washington Post broke the night before. Apparently, somebody had leaked Donald Trump’s tax returns to the Post and the paper published it with no redaction. Being a lifelong Democrat, he was furious at how the President had sabotaged his Democratic opponent’s campaign with the help of a hostile foreign power. His deep knowledge in politics and international relations told him that everything that was going on in government right now was part of a slow but steady descent to authoritarianism. Bill felt sick of seeing all of it unfold in front of his eyes and yet powerless to do anything.

Urgh. This Russia shit just felt like another rock in his stomach.

Bill steadied his gaze on the screen, listening on the happenings on TV.

“I have no doubts that this did not come from the President or his allies,” said one pundit.

“What made you say that?” asked the news anchor.

“Because of the messy details that put the president in bad light. Listen, when another reported dropped the 2005 tax returns a few weeks ago, there was no doubt in my mind that it came from the President himself. Why? That was his rosiest tax return in decades, probably ever. That was the first tax return jointly filed with Melania, and she needed those tax returns to be as clean as possible for her citizenship to be approved. But after that, the President is free to go back to his shady business dealing because he didn’t think he would need to release his tax returns ever. And even now that he’s already President, he still won’t do it, despite his every predecessor since Nixon doing so religiously.  

Bill took every word the pundit said. He agreed with the pundit’s assessment.             

“But who do you think leaked these then? The Post says that these tax returns were mailed to him anonymously,” the anchor asked this follow-up question.

“I guess they’re persons who have access to these documents and at the same time, disgusted by what they have been seeing and cannot anymore stomach the corruption this President had been for years. Either that or they were someone who had an interest in the President’s political downfall,” the pundit replied.

The anchor thanked the pundit and Bill turned his attention back to his coffee, which has since gone cold.

Bill regretted watching the news segment he just saw. While it made him more aware of what was happening around him, he just felt more depressed. Never had his desire to run for office became this strong, but suddenly, he remembered that he was in deep shit and so he could not just get out there and jumpstart his political career.

His reverie was broken when Joel slipped on the seat across Bill and snapped his fingers to grasp his friend back to reality.

"Earth to Bill, Earth to Bill. Can you hear me?" Joel deadpanned.

"Oh hey Joel. What up? Anyone looking for a roommate?"

"Hey hey, why are you fixated on the apartment? You should look for a job first. If you got one, maybe your landlady will extend your lease," Joel lectured.

Bill rubbed his hair. "I don't think I'll get hired before my lease expires."

Joel sighed. "I wonder how you got hired in the first place".

Bill shrugged. "I don't know. I was insistent back then, I guess".

"And now, you aren't?" Joel raised his eyebrow as the waitress handed him a menu and opened it.

"I guess so," said Bill, clearly lost.

Joel simply slapped his palm on his forehead in frustration. “You got to get over Mia. Clearly, she’s not worth it. You’re better than that, Bill. Whatever happened to your dream of running for office?”

Bill looked away. “I don’t know. I want to start a family too, Joel. Running for office isn’t only my dream”.

“And wallowing helps you achieve any of those dreams, Bill?” asked Joel pointedly. “You’re broke and ,in a few days, homeless. You won’t get anywhere with your crying ass. Get off your couch and look for a fucking job, Bill”.

“I am!” grunted Bill. “What do you think have I been doing all this time?”

“You’re not trying hard enough, Bill,” Joel prodded Bill’s chest to emphasize his point. “You’re wicked smart, cunning and, as much as I don’t want to admit it, good-looking. Where’s the suave Bill Clinton I came to know and shit on all this time?”

Joel’s words did little to lift Bill’s spirits. “I don’t know, man. Maybe he’s gone,” Bill conceded.

“Then fuck this so-called Bill Clinton who’s sitting right in front of me,” Joel slammed the table. “When you’re president, you’ll look back to this moment as the moment Bill Clinton got his life in order. You hear me?”

Bill tried to suppress his smile after hearing the word “president”. Despite the fuck-ups, Joel was still convinced that Bill would one day be commander-in-chief.

“Thanks, man. I owe you one,” Bill said appreciatively.

“No big deal brother,” said a satisfied Joel. “But you’ll owe me more when I tell you that Hillary Rodham is looking for a roommate right now.”

* * *

Inside her apartment, Hillary was sitting on the couch, on the phone, talking to her mother in Park Ridge. This call was a particularly tough one, as Hillary confessed to her mother what she did to the FBI.

“Oh sweetie, I am so proud of you,” said Dorothy truthfully. “Though I am quite worried. The bad guys might go after you”.

“I know, Mom, but I stand by what I did. I know what I’m doing, but I cannot protect myself. The FBI already got back to me and they said that I will be under witness protection. They want me to testify,” Hillary replied.

“What will you do then?” asked a worried Dorothy.

“The FBI says that my resignation from the law firm is imminent. I’ll tell my bosses that I need to quit for health reasons, and they’ll help produce fake documents as proof. Then I’ll transition into relocation”

“Where will you be relocated?”

Hillary recalled the three cities Delaney told her. She desperately wanted to let her Mom know where she would be going, but the FBI had forbidden her from doing so. “Sorry, Mom. I can’t tell. For your security and mine. But I’ll tell you that I haven’t decided which city to move to”.

A soft sigh could be heard on the other end of the line. “I wish you could stay in Park Ridge, Sweetie. You’re safe in here”.

“I know Mom,” said Hillary, trying to suppress the tears that threatened to fall. “I wanted to so badly, but the FBI says I cannot move to places I’ve been in before. And besides, if I move back to Park Ridge, there’s a high chance that the bad guys will come after you too. Better that you don’t know where I will be”.

“I understand, sweetie. I trust the Feds in keeping you safe. But the next months will kill me. I won’t be able to talk to you. And we don’t know how long that will be,” Dorothy’s voice cracked.

Whatever Dorothy felt, Hillary seemed to have felt it tenfold. She felt guilty and anguished to involve her mother like this. Even though Hillary had pondered many times how her decision to turn into a state witness would affect her mother, every thought of it still stung like fresh wound.

“Mom?”

“Yes, sweetie?”

“I...” Hillary could not find the words.

“Sweetie, just tell me what you want to say. You know you can tell me everything,” Dorothy said reassuringly.

“I...I love you Mom.”

There was still silence at the other end of the line. Hillary could tell that her mother was crying, even though Dorothy tried to mask every sob and weep. She was indeed her mother’s daughter, Hillary thought, as too too was silently weeping, not wanting her mother to hear the sound of her anguish.

“I love you too, Hillary,” Dorothy finally said. “Don’t worry, dear. Things will be alright”.

“I hope so Mom,” Hillary replied, though she never believed the words she just uttered. “I need to go now, Mom. I need to clean the house. I’m looking for a roommate. My savings aren’t enough to cover my expenses until the relocation”.

“Alright, Sweetie. Stay strong. I’ll always pray for you.”

“Bye, Mom.”

“Bye”.

Hillary turned off the burner phone and threw it on her side. She lifted her legs onto the couch and buried her face on her knees, letting all the tears fall unchecked. She was in her apartment, crying, with no one to comfort her or to protect her. She was all alone.

Hillary’s silent sobs were broken when she heard her iPhone beep with a new text message from Joel.

_**Good news. My friend Bill Clinton is looking for a roommate too.** _

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the depressing start but don't worry. It will get better. And they'll meet next chapter :)


	3. Two

"Hi Joel, come in."

Hillary opened the door and let Joel and his friend into her apartment. Last night, Joel texted her that his friend Bill Clinton was looking for a place to stay and was willing to occupy one of the spare bedrooms in her apartment. After the FBI had admitted the evidence she had secretly submitted, her disintegration from the New York City society began. She had already resigned from her job, citing health reasons for her resignation. Now out of a salaried job, Hillary needed money to cover her living expenses and to formally transfer her lease to another person. 

"Hi Hillary," Joel hugged her. "I heard about Kasowitz."

She smiled sadly. "I know. I had to. Health reasons".

"Oh," Joel was taken aback. He thought she quit Kasowitz because she got another offer from another firm. Joel thought Hillary didn't fit in that hellhole of a law firm. Hillary deserved a more lucrative job, given how smart she was. Now, he was utterly disappointed that she had to resign because of a health issue.

"I know. But I just had to keep fighting, don't I?" Hillary meant that more to herself than to Joel.

"Yep, and that's why I am so proud of you, girl," Joel said affectionately. "Oh wait, before I forget, this is Bill Clinton," Joel pointed to that tall, handsome man behind him. Hillary could not help but notice the warmth he exuded. He had that gentle look that made her feel that she was the only person in the universe at that moment, that she was the center of his gravity. There was something magnetic in him that she could not explain.

"Hi, I'm Bill," Bill greeted, his Southern accent thick.

The sound of his accent felt like a tickle in her ear. "Hi, I'm Hillary," she said, trying not to sound too enamored with him. "Texas?"

"Arkansas," Bill chuckled. "I always get that. Not many people know about Arkansas. Texas has great ranches while Tennessee has the blues. Arkansas...my home Arkansas. Why, it was the biggest watermelons in the world!" he said fondly.

"Really?" Hillary seemed genuinely fascinated with Arkansas, and not just because of Little Rock, one of the three cities she was currently choosing to move to.

"Yes!" Bill was giddy that finally, he met a New Yorker who was interested in Arkansas as she was. "How I miss Arkansas. It's hot as fuck in there, but boy, it's paradise!"

"How so?" Hillary giggled.

Uh oh. Somebody had just asked Bill about Arkansas, and Joel was sure that his friend's blabbing would not finish until the dawn on the next day. Before things went out of hand, Joel decided to intervene.

"I am sure Hillary would like to hear your stories Bill, but there's another time for that. We don't want to tire Hillary so much, do we?" Joel interrupted.

"Of course, sorry," said a flustered Bill, who had completely forgotten that Joel was still there.

"No, no. It's alright. It's not a bother," Hillary had forgotten about Joel too.

Hillary let the two men enter and gave a tour of her apartment. While Joel was busy catching up with Hillary, Bill was looking at the pictures that adorned the apartment. In the wall, he basically learned Hillary’s life: From her childhood in Chicago to her college years in Wellesley until law school in Yale. He was fascinated by her. She didn’t seem like the typical woman who would fall into his charms on the first minute and would her panties several hours later. Nope. It did not escape Bill that she had the most beautiful pair of eyes he had ever seen either. Hillary was intriguing and Bill ached to know more about her.

_No, not her, Bill. You just came from a break up. She’ll be another heartbreak. Stop before it even starts._

“Bill! In the guest room! Come over here!” Bill heard Joel yell from the other side of the apartment.

Bill scrambled to catch up to Joel and Hillary, who were looking at the guest room. The actual purpose of his visit forgotten, his eyes were transfixed on the lovely female, who was entirely aware that he was looking at her and at the guest room. Clearly, Bill shouldn’t be doing this, but he did.  

Joel, who was oblivious, said “So, do you like this Bill?”

“I do,” Bill said absentmindedly, his eyes still on Hillary.

“Are you okay with Hillary?”

“Absolutely.”

“Great! Shall we discuss everything in the living room?”

“Sure”

Once at the living room, Hillary stated her terms and the monthly rent. Bill’s temporary absentmindedness was broken when he heard the price of the rent. Oh shit. He didn’t think he could not afford the price she was asking. His old, unemployed self would have been perfectly fine with Hillary’s reasonable price, but his current, broke self thought that the rent cost a fortune. There was no way he could accept such terms.

“Oh,” said Bill, scratching the back of his head. “I’m sorry….I…,I don’t think I could afford that”.

“Oh,” said a disappointed Hillary. “That’s alright”.

“Come on, Bill. Hillary’s room is decent. Besides, you’re a hot shot lawyer. You can find freelance jobs everywhere. You’ll come up with the rent money in no time,” urged Joel.

Hillary recalled a conversation she had with Joel about his lawyer friend who got fired from the US Attorney’s office and was dumped by his girlfriend. Was…was that Bill?  

Even though Hillary was herself in great need, he could not help but feel badly for Bill. Poor guy. He seemed like a decent guy but he was thrust into a whirlwind of bad luck.  

“Maybe I can arrange something for you,” Hillary suggested, which prompted Bill to lift his head up and listen.

“What is it?” Bill asked.

“You can stay with me as long as you want to, rent-free, but pay me the full rent once you got a job. How does that sound?” Hillary wished that she could waive the rent altogether, but she was in need of cash herself.

“Oh, no, Hillary. That’s too generous of you,” Joel interceded. “You need the money for your healthcare and all…”

“I don’t mind. I can manage,” Hillary assured, albeit it was a lie.

“Are you sure?”

She nodded.

“So how about it, Bill? Pay her when you have the money. Are we okay?”

Bill was stunned. Hillary was literally an angel sent to him from heaven. No one has ever given him such kindness. On top of that, she was an incredible beauty too.

_Are you even real?_

Bill was so engrossed with his thoughts that he had difficulty stringing two words together. “I…uh…I…of course! I…that’s great!”

Like a strict parent, Joel noticed that Bill hadn’t said his thanks so he nudged him in the ribs. Bill winced in pain, letting out a small “ow!”.

“Oh,yeah…uhm…Thank you!” Bill hastily added, kicking himself for being so inattentive.  He had never been such a mess in front of people.

Hillary found Bill’s weird quirks endearing. She giggled at his antics. Despite his embarrassment, Bill was proud that he was able to make her smile.

The night ended with Bill and Hillary closing the deal. Bill would move in within a week. He promised her that he would find a job right away. Hillary told him not to worry much about paying her back, but instead focus on his job hunting. Nevertheless, Bill was adamant on paying her back as soon as possible and not to take too much advantage of his kindness. Of course, Hillary had every right to doubt his words, but she felt that he was being very sincere. Like every word was accompanied with a pinky promise.  

Joel and Bill bid her good night, leaving her alone in her apartment. Watching the two men leave, Hillary could not help but wonder if she had met Bill in a different time. If she was not about to become the star witness of the greatest political scandal in American history.

_Maybe. Just maybe._

* * *

After a few days, Bill moved in to Hillary’s apartment. True to his word, Bill threw himself to a whirlwind of odd jobs, from thesis ghost writer to dog walker to delivery boy. Anything to earn money. Despite his all his hard work, his earnings weren’t enough to cover the rent and his living expenses. His politically savvy self told him to document his experience earning minimum wage so he could use this anecdote when he runs for office.

Because he was so busy with his multiple jobs, he hadn’t had too many chances to see Hillary. He would leave in early in the morning when she was still sleeping and the come back late at night, when she’s also sleeping. He felt a little guilty. He was treating her like a neighboring old cat lady. She must be in tough times too, considering that she had to undergo treatment. He planned to make up for it, though. Once he had decent earnings, he would take her out for lunch or dinner, just to show her how grateful he was.

One night, Bill arrived home late as usual. He wanted to crash into his bed, but he had a deadline to beat for this kid’s thesis that he needed to finish. Carrying his laptop and glasses, he went to the kitchen to get some much needed work done.

Bill was exhausted at that time, but he really needed to finish this draft. Bill looked up the clock. 2am. The deadline was 10 am. He had 8 hours left and 15 pages to write, but he had already squeezed his brain of all bullshit. Nothing came out of it anymore.

He was debating whether to take a 30-minute power nap, but his thoughts were interrupted when Hillary, clad in her silk nightgown, entered the kitchen, her face still full of sleep. Despite having a practically dead brain, he could still pay attention to her ethereal beauty.

“Hi,” she greeted him, yawning. “Why are you still up?”

Bill pointed to his laptop. “I have a thesis to finish.”

Hillary quirked her eyebrows, demanding an explanation.

“I took this job of writing this kid’s thesis,” Bill explained sheepishly. “The job pays rather well so I took it”.

“What’s it about,” Hillary walked behind him and read the draft that he was working on.  

Bill yawned. "International relations. Middle East. I took this major in college so I think I have a good grip on the subject".

"Fascinating," Hillary was still reading the draft. "Though I disagree with some of your points, I think this is a fine paper". 

"Really?" Bill was intrigued. "How so?"

Hillary sighed. She walked towards the counter and brewed coffee in her coffee maker. 

"What's with the coffee?" Bill asked. 

"One, you're gonna need it for the rest of the night and two, you're in for a very long conversation," Hillary brought up two fingers. 

As promised, it was indeed a very long conversation. The two had a very spirited debate about Middle East foreign policy over coffee. By the time dawn had broken, Bill was able to get so much insight from Hillary that he was able to incorporate much of their conversation into the thesis draft. He enjoyed every second of their conversation, much so that hadn’t noticed that the sun had already risen. Hillary too was surprised at how much time had passed since she entered the kitchen.

“Oh my God, it’s morning already!” Hillary gasped.

“I know! I was enjoying our debate so much. And thanks to you, I have finished this fucking thesis draft. Thank you, Hillary”

She smiled. “Your welcome, Bill. I enjoyed it too”.

Despite the lack of sleep, Bill was energized and elated. Was it because of her company? Probably so. Either way, Bill was such in a good mood that he offered to cook breakfast for them.

“No, no. Don’t. It’s okay, really,” Hillary politely rejected.

“Come on. I insist. You helped me with the thesis and you wholeheartedly welcomed me to your home. The least I can do is cook you breakfast. Besides, you should try my world famous pancakes,” Bill boasted.

Hillary raised an eyebrow, amused. “YOUR world famous pancakes?”

Bill nodded. “Yep. I swear, my pancakes are better than sex”.

“Oooooh, let me try those better-than-sex pancakes by Bill Clinton,” said a giddy Hillary.

Within thirty minutes, the kitchen was filled with the delicious smell of pancakes cooking in the skillet. Hillary watched curiously beside Bill as he flipped the pancakes into perfection.

She almost had the urge to wrap her arms around his waist and lean on his back.

As the pancakes piled into the plate, Hillary made herself useful by brewing another pot of coffee. She opened the fridge took some strawberries and whipped cream. Hillary was about to chop the strawberries until Bill stopped her.

“No, no, Hillary. My pancakes are only eaten with maple syrup. Nothing of that stuff,” he waved his hand.

“Oh, alright,” she obliged, putting the strawberries and the whipped cream away. She took the butter instead.

Once the pancakes were all done, Bill served the pancakes to Hillary. He sat down and watched her eagerly. Hillary spread the butter and poured a small amount of maple syrup into her pancakes. She sliced her pancake, speared it with her fork and chewed it. She closed her eyes, enjoying her first bite of pancake. Yummmmmm. Bill was right. This pancake is better than sex. Hillary was so into her pancake that a moan almost escaped from her lips. Damn. This was the best pancake she had ever had in her life.

Bill had completely forgotten about his pancake. Instead, he was focused on Hillary. Her closed eyes, her arched neck, her stifled moan. An innocent appreciation of his culinary masterpiece turned into something very erotic. Damn. Hillary was so fucking beautiful.

When Hillary opened her eyes, she noticed that Bill hadn’t touched his food. “Hey, eat up, Bill, or I’ll finish your pancakes. They’re so good!”

Bill snapped back to reality and began eating his breakfast. Fuck. His momentary lapse must have been from his lack of sleep. Urgh. He needed to catch some sleep soon.

“So, Hillary,” Bill said, chewing, “how’s your health, if you don’t mind he asking?”

Hillary sighed. This was going to be the first time she would say the lines she had rehearsed over and over again. She knew her spiels by heart, but still, she felt guilty about lying to other people.

“My doctors diagnosed me with breast cancer, stage 3” Hillary said. “We have a family history of breast cancer. I should have tested myself earlier,” she appeared regretful, but not for the reason she had just stated.

Bill was in shock. He did not know what to say. He covered her hand squeezed it tightly. Hillary, an introvert, didn’t shudder in his touch. Instead, she felt...relieved. Relieved that someone was willing to share her burden, even if it was a facade. For the first time since she came forward to the FBI, she didn’t feel alone.

“I am sorry, Hillary. If you need someone to talk to, I am just here,” Bill said, his intentions genuine.

“Thank you. And I am sorry about your misfortunes too. You are a good man, Bill. I wish more people are like you”.

The only thing missing at that moment was Bill pulling Hillary to his arms and let her sob, weep and bask in his warmth.

But of course, he couldn’t do that.

It would be unfair to both of them.

_Since when did life become fair?_ Bill thought to himself bitterly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it this update came a little late. Work had been so hectic recently and I was drained. Huhuhu. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Our love birds will face some rough patches in the next chapter to hang on! :)


	4. Three

Bill entered the apartment building whistling. Unlike his usual arrivals, the sun was still up and he wasn’t tired. In fact, he was bursting with so much energy that he was almost dancing as he climbed the stairs towards Hillary’s apartment.

He had just come off from a lunch meeting with his good friend and mentor, Dirk Spangler. Dirk was a criminal defense attorney who had taken a liking on him since his law school days. Dirk recently resigned from his law firm due to management conflicts. Since Dirk got wind that Bill was out of a job, he invited the young lawyer for a catch-up lunch in downtown New York.

It turned out that the lunch meeting was actually an interview. Dirk was recently hired by Rose Law Firm in Arkansas and he thought it would be a great opportunity for Bill to come with him. When Dirk revealed his true intentions for the lunch meeting, the ever eloquent Bill couldn’t say a thing. Bill was stunned and happy at the opportunity Dirk was offering to him.

While Bill would love to jump at his career opportunity, he had some reservations. One, it meant that he would have to leave New York. Two, the salary might not be as high as what he was earning in his last job. And three, he would lose connection with influential people who might help him with his long-planned political career.

Dirk knew about Bill’s hesitance and gave him a week to think about the offer, which the latter was grateful for. If Bill said yes, he would immediately fly back to Arkansas and live with his Momma, who would immediately nag him for not bringing home a fiancee. To be honest, Bill dreaded going home to his Momma. Not that he didn’t love her. He did. It’s just that she would never forgive him for fucking up a girl like Mia. It wasn’t a secret that his Momma was dying to have grandkids, and Bill being 33 meant that he should have had three kids by then. Having children wasn’t Bill’s main priority at that moment though. He really wanted to jumpstart his career in politics before he married.

When Bill inserted they key in the keyhole, he thought he had heard voices inside the apartment. It sounded like there was serious conversation going on. He was unsure whether to enter the apartment, but he was tired and needed to take a shower badly. His dire need to alleviate the stickiness in his body overruled his regard for courtesy.

“Where there taped conversations with Lavrov?”

“How did Deripaska wire the money?”

Hillary, a man and a woman, who are all sitting on the dinner table, immediately stopped their conversation when Bill entered the apartment. Bill felt like the would melt, judging by the intense stare the three people were giving him. He did not know who the other two people were. Bill was sure that they didn’t live in this apartment (duh, this was Hillary’s) but they were looking at him as if he wasn’t welcome.

“I’m sorry...I...I’ll just take a shower,” Bill choked.

True to his pronouncement, Bill hurried to the shower. As he waters sprayed on his sweaty body, he could not help but think about the two names that the two strangers mentioned. Lavrov? Deripaska? Sure sounded like Russian. But why would Hillary be asked about Russians? Were they her former clients?

Bill thought back to her former firm. Where did she work again? Kasowitz?

_Oh my God._

Bill just had an epiphany.

The Russians weren’t her clients. No. But someone who tangled with the Russians did. Someone whose campaign was currently under investigation for colluding with Russians to defeat his opponent and win the Presidency.

_Oh fuck._

The two people who were interviewing Hillary must have been the FBI, Bill was sure of it. Among legal circles, it was widely spread that Donald Trump’s lawyer himself, Marc Kasowitz, tangled with Russian dirty money. And being an associate of Kasowitz, Hillary must have been in the middle of the corruption too.

Bill heard a few days ago that Kasowitz hired a lawyer to defend him against possible charges in the Russian scandal. He laughed at the surrealism of all of this. Even the lawyers were forced to hire lawyers. Had anybody been this corrupt?

His thoughts wandered back to Hillary. She must have been a person of interest in the Trump-Russia affair, having been privy to her client’s secrets. If the FBI were personally involved with her, then she must have been right in the center of the scandal. Furthermore, she could be looking at an indictment soon.

_Jesus, I am living with a criminal!_

As soon as Bill finished his shower, Bill hurried to his room to text his colleagues in the legal profession.

* * *

Three days after that awkward situation in Hillary’s apartment, Bill arrived home late in the afternoon. After talking to his friends, he made up his mind to accept Dirk’s offer. Despite his reservations, Bill’s friends argued that he could build the grassroots movement in his home district in Arkansas to propel his candidacy. If he were to run for Congress, talking to people mattered a lot, and he could do that if he were already in Arkansas.

Another thing was his shocking discovery about his landlady. If his inferences were true, then he needed to steer clear from her. As advised by his friends, he would ask Dirk to loan him some rent money and break his lease as soon as possible. Hillary never discussed anything about the Russian stuff, but better safe than sorry.

Bill looked back his lengthy conversation with Hillary at her kitchen, where they discussed foreign policy and appreciated his culinary masterpiece. They also touched the subject of her health problems. When Bill heard that she was diagnosed with breast cancer, his heart went out to her. He remembered how he yearned to embrace her so he could wash away her pain.

But apparently, it was all a lie.

Bill scolded himself for being tricked so easily. He blamed it on his recent break-up. Somehow, there was an inexplicable need for him to be the knight in shining armor although he was not. He was just a regular guy, jobless, broke and, well, heartbroken. He must had been missing the feeling of being needed, of being wanted. After being discarded so brutally by Mia, he wanted to he affirmed and appreciated, and Bill jumped at the first opportunity that came to him.

Too bad that opportunity almost broke his heart.

Good thing he knew better early on.

When Bill opened the saw, he saw Hillary who was crying in the dinner table. Her arms were folded on the table and her head was bent so that her face was buried in her arms. Whatever she was crying for, it didn’t change the fact that she had a hand in the biggest scandal in American history.

But then, Bill really felt bad for the poor woman. This supposedly evil woman. This woman who helped sell democracy to tyrants. Bill tried to ramp up his defenses, but it was too late. His heart was already torn by her agonized sobs.

Alright. Even if it was just for show, Bill sat beside Hillary and tried to comfort the weeping woman.

“Hillary...” Bill tried to touch her shoulder.

Thankfully, Hillary did not wince in his touch. She let him rub her shoulder and her back. As soon as his hands stroked her, there was an immediate reaction from her. She calmed down from her hysteric sobs, and her breathing evened out.

But that was not to say that Bill always had a positive effect on her.

Hillary lifted her head up only to see the man who caused her anguish. Her face darkened and started to whack the guy with her hands. She pushed him, shoved him, slapped him. She needed to get this man away from her.

“You...you bastard....get...out...of...my...apartment,” she grunted in tears.

“Hey...stop...please...stop it...what did I do?” Bill defended himself for the onslaught of shoves.

Hillary ceased her attack, outraged by his question, her chest heaving with rage. “You lying ass! You knew exactly what you did!” She was crying again. “I trusted you. I showed you kindness. And this is what you replay me? You...deserve...to...rot...in...hell...Bill...Clinton,” Hillary fired back as she accompanied every word of her last sentence with a shove.

“Wait! Wait! Wait!” Bill raised his arms again to protect himself. “Calm down!”

That’s it. The dam broke. Hillary could not anymore take his perpetual lying. He stood up and dragged him out of the apartment.

“You. Out. Now,” she thrust him outside the door and went back inside.

“No, Hillary! Wait!”

Bill hurried back to the apartment only to find out that Hillary was taking his clothes out of his closet. She grudgingly marched past him, the angry look still plastered on her face, and threw this possessions outside the apartment.

“Whoa! No, Hillary...wait!”

Hillary went back inside for another round of eviction. This time, she took his books. _His prized books_. Hillary carried several of his hardbound books, and threw them all away in the hallway unceremoniously, causing random pages to fold. Bill was horrified. He loved his books more than anything!

“Oh no, no, Hillary....please!” He followed her inside.

Bill needed to think fast. He needed to calm her down. His brain, trapped in a sudden mess, was not thinking properly. He could only think of one thing to calm her down. He was not sure it would work, though...

He found Hillary inside his room, going his clothes again. He went behind her, who was not giving a fuck that he was just inches away from him. He held her arms and forcefully whirled her towards him.

“What are you doing, Bill--?”

Hillary never for got to finish her sentence as Bill drove him self into her, silencing her with a desperate kiss. At first, she did not respond. She pursed her lips in objection. But he was persistent. He was imploring. Soon, her defenses slowly fell and she too gave in to his kisses. And in no time, her mouth welcomed his tongue into hers. She melted against him as he kissed her, her hands sliding up his chest.

As Bill had planned, Hillary did calm down. Her anger had dissipated, and it was replaced with a flicker of desire for the man who was kissing him so good. Yes. He was such a good kisser. No man had ever made her respond like that. She could already feel the moisture and the faint tingling sensation gathering in her core. She rubbed her legs to alleviate herself of the tension.

Bill, on the other hand, wasn’t at all prepared for his own reaction. Damn. She tasted so sweet. She was sweeter than the sweetest honey, smoother than the finest wine. He never got a reaction out of a kiss like this...even from Mia. In record time, he felt the beginnings of a stir in his shaft.

_Damn...she’s a goddess._

Still intoxicated with her, Bill focused his hands on her buttons, not breaking the kiss. One by one, her buttons popped open, revealing her smooth skin. When he was halfway done with her blouse, his fingers brushed on her lacy bra, causing her to wake up from their shared trance.

“Stop...stop,” Hillary broke away, gently pushing him.

Hillary stepped aside and ran away from him, rushing to her own bedroom. Bill followed her. He found her bedroom door open. He wasn’t sure whether he should follow her inside. He glanced the inside of the room and saw her crying again, this time on her bed.

“Hillary...I’m sorry...” Bill said, his remorse genuine.

Bill chose to stay at the doorway, giving her personal space. Damn. His short term decision turned out to be a colossal mistake.

“Please, Hillary...please just tell me what I did...”

Hillary sat up on her bed, but her back was still turned against him. “Why did you have to tell everyone that I am a criminal, Bill? _Crooked Hillary_ , eh? Sounds something like my _client_ would say”.

Bill froze. He did not think it would hurt her that badly. He immediately regretted his impulsive decision tell his colleagues what he thought of her after he accidentally walked on her with FBI agents.

“Did you even stop to verify if what you thought was true?” Hillary wept. “Or did you just blab it all around just for you to scoop on to the New York Times?”

“I...I...No.” Hillary was spot on. It didn’t even occur to him that what he said might be untrue. Judging by her reaction, Bill was quite sure that what he said were all lies.

“THEN WHY DID YOU DO IT, BILL?”

Bill covered his face in shame. Oh God. He destroyed another person’s reputation just because he was too impulsive to verify the conspiracy theory that had formed in his mind. He felt sick of himself.

Without asking for her permission, he entered her bedroom and sat behind her. His hand rested on her shoulder, hoping that somehow, he could alleviate the pain he had caused.

“I am so sorry, Hillary. I really am”.

Hillary felt something different. For the first time since her decision to come forward, she didn’t feel...alone. She felt like someone truly understood her, and that someone was willing to help her, to comfort her, to tell her everything would be alright.

It just so happened that same person told everybody that she was a criminal.

Bill let her cry in silence. For some time, he just watched her cry, calm down, and then cry again. There were times that she just stared into the window for a long time before crying again. This time, he didn’t judge her. He just let her natural process of grief flow.

When she had been stable for quite a while, Bill thought that she deserved to be given her personal space back, to let her heal the wound that he had inflicted upon her. He also thought he didn’t deserve her hospitality anymore either. Without another word, Bill left her bedroom and went to his own and started packing. He took him hours to clean and pack everything. It was almost midnight when he was done and when he went outside his room, he saw no signs of Hillary, but her bedroom lights were still on.

After Bill extracted all of his possessions from his apartment, he rushed back inside to write a letter to Hillary:

> _**I am sorry, I really am. It didn’t occur to me how ungrateful I was being, after you offered your home to me. I should have been more discerning. There was no excuse for what I did. I made life more miserable for you. And for that, I am terribly sorry.** _
> 
> _**I know I haven’t gotten around to saying this properly but...thank you for all that you’ve done for me. You saved me in my darkest times. I am just regretful that I returned the favor by destroying you in front of everybody.** _
> 
> _**I truly hope I can make it up to you. You are an amazing person, and a dear friend I am sure. Whatever you are going through right now, I hope you can make it.** _
> 
> _**I’ll come back in a few days for the rent payment.** _
> 
> _**I am truly sorry,** _
> 
> _**Bill** _

Bill placed the note on the dinner table, hoping that she’d read it, and she would accept his apology. Every word he wrote in that letter was the absolute truth, and he longed that he would be forgiven.

He left Hillary’s apartment, feeling worse then ever before. He said shed many tears in his life before, including during his break-up with Mia, but nothing was more painful than the tear the flowed in his cheek as he descended the stairs away from Hillary’s apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys are okay with this chapter focusing on Bill and his emotions. I felt really bad for Hillary, but don't worry. Things will be better for her soon. 
> 
> Thank you guys for the love that you have been giving to my fic. It means so much to me. <3


	5. Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, apologies for the late update :( I've been struck with flu and my writing schedule was messed up huhuhuhu. 
> 
> Second, thank you so much for the amazing love and reaction to my last chapter. I am overwhelmed. Thank you guys for the encouragement! You're the best! I can promise you more thrill and feels in the upcoming chapters!

“Hillary? Hillary? Are you home? It’s me, Bill”

Bill was knocking fervently at Hillary’s door for the last thirty minutes, and for the third time that day. It was almost 6pm, and he had gone to her apartment twice during that day, hoping to catch Hillary, but she seemed to be out whenever he was there. Bill had an inkling that she was ignoring him on purpose, understandably so. But her continued snub was slowly getting to his nerves, and frankly, to his heart. Every moment of silence from the inside the apartment was like leprosy slowly consuming his soul. It ate him alive, and there was nothing he could do but wait for her to reach out to him.

It had been three weeks since he left the apartment after that his false devastating accusation against Hillary damaged her reputation within the legal circles in New York City. After he left, he crashed into Joel’s place and was able to take out a loan from Dirk to pay off his rent and to find a place of his own. He had the check for Hillary for a few days now but it was only then that Bill finally pulled up the courage to face her once more, to apologize to her and hopefully end their arrangement in good terms.

For countless times, Bill wondered how things had gone between them had he not disparaged her in front of everybody. Hillary was a very beautiful woman. Her eyes were like sapphires. Her brown hair would have felt amazing tousled against his chest. Her slim waist and wide hips were surely magnificent to the touch. And she was an accomplished lawyer to boot. Her personality and intellect piqued his interest. Even with her supposed illness, he would have sought her out and maybe take things further. _Like marriage._

Even if they didn’t end their arrangement bitterly, there was still the matter of his recent breakup. Whatever he was feeling for Hillary right now, Bill was almost certain that it was caused by his loneliness. After all, it wasn’t fucking easy to let go of a woman who was with you for years. Rebound relationships almost always end in breakups, and Bill wasn’t a glutton for punishment.

When Bill’s knuckles were finally starting to hurt after his relentless knocking, he decided to quit, at least for now. He would have to ask Joel to come with him next time. Joel he was willing to help Bill ask Hillary’s forgiveness, but it came with a price. Bill received an earful from Joel. He almost even punched Bill in the face. He would have done so had he not realized that Bill could charge him with physical assault.

As Bill walked away from Hillary’s apartment, a middle aged man, whom he recognized as Hillary’s neighbor, passed by him, taken aback by his presence. 

“Hey, aren’t you that new occupant in Hillary’s apartment?” asked the man.

“Yes, Sir. I am. I was just looking for her, in fact,” Bill replied politely.

“Huh? You didn’t know? Weren’t you with her?” the man questioned Bill.

Bill quirked an eyebrow. “No Sir. I was kicked out a few weeks ago.”

“Oh. I see,” the man rubbed his chin. “Hillary isn’t here anymore.”

“Where is she?” asked a shocked Bill.

The man shrugged. “I don’t know. All I know is that she left two weeks ago.”

_Shit._

Without even thanking the man, Bill scurried as fast as possible out of the apartment building, dialing Joel’s number on his phone.

“Joel, Bill here…shit, Hillary’s gone.”

* * *

“What the fuck did you mean that she’s gone?!” Joel yelled at Bill when he entered his apartment. He found Bill pacing back and forth in his apartment, biting his nails.

“She’s left her apartment, Joel. I don’t know where she went. Her neighbor didn’t know where she went,” Bill replied.

“Shit. This is all your fucking fault, Bill,” Joel forcefully prodded Bill’s chest that the latter stepped back.

“I know. But shit, I need to find her, Joel. I need to,” Bill looked pleadingly to Joel.

“You’re on your own, Bill,” Joel told Bill without any pity. “Fix your own goddamn mess.”

* * *

Bill nervously walked out of the elevator as it reached the 23 rd  floor 26 Federal Plaza. He blended with the swarm of people going in and out of the New York Headquarters of the FBI. He was unsure where to go, as he had never been there before. He was looking more and more like a lost kid in an amusement park. But thank God, he saw a receptionist sitting behind a circular marble table in the middle of the lobby.

“Good morning,” Bill greeted the receptionist.

“Good morning, Sir, how may I help you?” the receptionist smiled at Bill.

“I..uh…I am here to give a tip to the FBI,” Bill wasn’t sure if FBI receptionists could tell lies.

“Do you have an appointment, Sir?” asked the receptionist.

_Uh-oh._  “No, I don’t have one.”

“I see. Kindly fill up this appointment sheet and we’ll get in touch with you as soon as possible,” the receptionist handed him a pen and a small sheet of paper.

Bill refused. “Please, it’s very important that I talk to someone within the FBI.”

“I cannot allow you to do that, Sir. We observe a strict standard operating procedure in here regarding tips,” the receptionist refused.

“Please, I beg you. The FBI needs to hear me,” Bill pleaded desperately.

“I am so sorry but I cannot do that, Sir. SOP’s are for strict compliance,” the receptionist held his ground.

“Please…can you please call someone from the inside? Tell them I have come here for Hillary Rodham, who’s missing,” Bill said.

“Sir, the FBI doesn’t handle missing persons…”

“I KNOW GODDAMMIT!” Bill yelled at the receptionist, attracting the curious stares of the other people in the lobby. The guard was fast approaching them. “Please, Sir. Just please make the call, I beg you.”

The exasperated receptionist let out a sigh. “Alright.” He dialed a number and within seconds, he was talking to someone from the offices. Bill was listening intently to the phone conversation.

“Hello, I have someone here wanting to give a tip about someone named Hillary Rodham…Mmmm hmmm…uh huh…okay…what are your instructions then? Alright. Thanks”

The reception put phone his phone and turned his attention back to Bill. “Sir, I need an ID. Please sign the visitor’s log here and go to the glass door over there,” the receptionist pointed to an entrance that had the sign Cybersecurity and Financial Crimes Unit, “someone from Cybersecurity wants to speak to you”.

Relief flooded Bill’s body as he signed the form and left his ID. He mouthed his thanks to the receptionist and went straight through the glass door of the Cybersecurity Unit. 

* * *

Once inside the Cybersecurity Unit, Bill was lead to a soundproof room where he surmised the agents interrogate people. His possessions -  up until the coins inside his pocket - were taken away before he was allowed inside. Inside the room were a long wooden table and two wooden chairs, one each lengthy side of the table. He felt like he was in the middle of a spy movie, just with added guilt and shame. The agents passing by the room where giving him cold glances that made him want to hide underneath the table.

Bill heard the sound of the door open. He stood up and turned around to see who it was. A woman with brown ponytailed hair, dressed in a smart suit and pants, entered the room.

“Cindy Delaney, Cybersecurity and Financial Crimes Unit” the women extended her hand to Bill, who cordially shook her hand in return.

“Sit please,” she said, and the two of them took their seats.

Cindy intertwined her fingers and rested her hands on the table.

“Now that the introductions are out of the way… WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM BILL CLINTON?!”

Bill instinctively leaned away from Cindy, bracing for an earful from her.”

“WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?” Cindy bellowed, “YOU STUPIDITY COULD HAVE FOILED OUR INVESTIGATION! NOW, KASOWITZ AND THE WHITE HOUSE KNOWS WHAT’S SHE’S DONE! THE PRESIDENT COULD FIRE EVERYONE WORKING ON THIS CASE AND THE KREMLIN COULD GO AFTER HILLARY! WHY THE FUCK DID YOU HAVE TO BLAB ABOUT RUSSIAGATE?!” Cindy abruptly and slammed her first on the table.

Bill’s eyes were tightly shut. “I am so sorry…that’s what I’m here for. I want to apologize to Hillary.”

Cindy crossed her arms. “Nope. You can’t do that. I’m not allowing her anywhere near you.”

“You know where she is?” Bill sounded hopeful.

“Of course, I do.”

“Can you please tell me where she is?”

Cindy shook her head. “Absolutely not.    

“But…but please…” Bill left his chair and knelt in front of Cindy. “Please…please…please…”

Cindy was firm as cement. “No, Clinton. You already jeopardized our investigation. It’s best that you go home. Actually, you won’t get anything from us. I just wanted to berate you for the screw-up that you just did. You almost endangered Hillary’s life, Mr. Clinton.”

Bill looked up to Cindy, his eyes pleading.

“I know I’ll regret this later on,” Cindy said, “I’ll say to you that Hillary is under our custody. And I can assure you that she’s safe right now. That’s all you need to know”.

“If you see her,” Bill said, “please tell her that I’m so so so so sorry…that was very asshole of me.”

“Damn right, you are such an asshole,” Cindy minced no words, “and a prick and a dick.”

“I deserved that.”

Cindy bent over so that her face was almost touching Bill’s.

“When all of this is done, Hillary will be so up and above you that when you look at your future, all you can see is her ass.”

* * *

Cindy unlocked the door to her house in the sleepy town of Hoboken, New Jersey.  She went inside and found Hillary sweeping the kitchen.

“How’s your day?” Hillary asked.

“You’ll never guess who visited us in the office: your _best friend_ ,” Cindy deadpanned.

“Bill Clinton?”

“Yep, the one and only”

Hillary instantly kept the broom away. “What did he come for?”

Cindy laid her bag on the dinner table. “He’s looking for you. He found out that you were no longer living in your apartment so he went to the FBI and asked for you.”

“Did you tell anything?” Hillary ached to hear.

“Of course, I didn’t,” Cindy said, walking to the fridge and looking for something to eat. “I’d lose my job if I told him. He had already done much damage to our operation. I am not going to let him ruin our plans any more. Have you eaten dinner yet?”

Hillary shook her head and stood up. “Nope. I’ll prepare. Anything you want?”

“Thanks, your call,” Cindy said appreciatively.

Hillary opened the cabinets and looked for a frying pan. “What else did Bill say? Why is he looking for me, by the way?”

An exhausted Cindy closed the fridge with an apple on her mouth and crashed on the sofa. “He wants to apologize to you for what he did. The fucker. The nerve of him to ask for an apology! If I were you Hillary, I’ll let him live with his guilt. Let the man suffer. He deserves it.”

Hillary was simply silent as she picked up the ingredients from the fridge, shaken from Cindy’s revelation. Did...did Bill really went through all that effort to apologize to her?

Hillary had prided herself as an excellent judge of character. Her first impressions of a person were usually right, and her first impression of Bill was that he was a kind person and a good man. She noticed how she was looking at her pictures when he was first looking at her apartment. She knew that he was very much interested in the stories and background of people. That was why it puzzled her so much that he did not bother digging down deeper into her story before blabbing it out to everyone else. Of course, she would have preferred it if he didn’t say anything, but she found it very uncharacteristic of him to jump into conclusions.

More than anything, Hillary craved for his explanation rather than his apology. How could she have misjudged a person so badly? She desperately wanted to know where she had been wrong. Perhaps, Bill was a very complex person. More complex than Hillary had gauged. Bill was far from a one-dimensional character. He was blabbing false rumors in one second and then desperately begging for apology in the next. Moreover, they weren’t even that close. They were unlikely to meet again, so why make an effort to apologize?

Whatever what running on Bill’s mind, Hillary could not shake it off.

“Hillary, can you hear me?”

She snapped back to reality after Cindy’s third attempt to call her attention. Apparently, she had been so deep in her thoughts that her hearing shut off. Cindy noticed that Hillary wasn’t answering her.

“Are you alright Hillary?” asked Cindy, concerned.

Hillary nodded her head. “Yes, Cindy. Thanks. I have a favor to ask of you, though.”

“Name it, girl.”

“I’d like to see Bill Clinton.”


	6. Five

Bill impatiently waited for a his “date” as he kept checking the time in his phone. 4:48pm. He was told that his date would arrive at 5. 12 minutes. 12 minutes more and his agony would be over soon.

He arrived at Starbucks almost two hours before the designated meeting time. He was so excited and nervous for this. The brewed coffee he ordered was a terrible idea. It only made his nerves worse.

His hand kept reaching deep into his pocket, making sure that the small item in it was still there. He had to make sure. His plan would go up in flames if the item in his pocket was suddenly lost.

4:57pm. Three minutes left. God. Bill had never been this impatient his whole life.

Two days ago, Bill received a call from FBI agent Cindy Delaney, the same agent who berated when he unceremoniously walked into the FBI office to beg to see Hillary. That was why Bill was stunned to hear her invite him for a meeting at Starbucks. Bill half-expected to Cindy to give him an earful during their phone conversation. But much to his surprise, she was calm and sober.

In their conversation, Cindy told Bill that Hillary wanted to see him. Bill felt his soul being uplifted. He took it as a sign that Hillary wanted to listen to him, and he was ready to do anything to win her forgiveness. Cindy told him that the FBI had allowed Hillary’s request for a meeting. However, the FBI felt that he needed to be enlightened on the damage that he had done to her.

Cindy invited Bill for a private meeting at the FBI office in New York. There, Cindy told him what Hillary had done – and notified him that the FBI would be pressing charges against him for jeopardizing their operation. The revelation only intensified Bill’s guilt. Hillary was never one of the bad guys. Far from it. In fact, she was the true unsung hero America was waiting for.

And Bill was determined to correct his mistakes.

Thus, he formulated a plan to help Hillary with her mission.

Bill thought that his plan was a longshot, but he had to go with it anyway. He told Cindy of his plan. While she herself was skeptical that it would work, she had raised this with her bosses and they gave him the blessing that he needed to proceed.

With everything in place, all Bill needed was for his date to arrive.

Around 7 minutes past 5 pm, Bill saw the door of Starbucks opened, and finally, he saw the face of his date. Hillary, wearing a pair of sunglasses, skirted past the other customers and approached the table where Bill was. A few meters behind her was Cindy, who innocently ordered a drink from the barista and proceeded to an empty table where she could see them.

When Hillary finally arrived at his table, Bill, like a lovestruck teenager on a prom, stood up and pulled the chair in from of him so that Hillary could sit. Hillary silently mouthed her thanks as she sat down and removed the sunglasses.

Bill could have sworn that he almost saw the bright rays of the sun when Hillary took off the sunglasses and her natural blue orbs came into view.

“Hi,” Bill smiled meekly. “How have you been?”

Hillary shrugged, her eyes not meeting his. “I am fine. Carrying on, I guess.”

Bill felt a sharp pang of pain when Hillary said those words. Now that he had been told of everything, he knew that what she was dealing with was not an easy one, and he only made things a lot worse for her.

Bill, just like during their conversation in her kitchen, covered her hand, giving her the same comfort he had given her back then. Just like before, she didn’t shudder. She didn’t wince. Instead, her eyes just gazed at their folded hands, like a person under spell.

“You are not alright, aren’t you?” Bill didn’t need to be told twice to know that Hillary wasn’t coping well with her decision. “Much of it was my fault.”

A single tear rolled on her cheeks. Hillary quickly brushed her hand on her face to wipe the tear. “No, it’s alright...”

Bill held her hand tighter. “No, it is my fault. I should not have told people that you were a crook. That was so insensitive and stupid of me. I am so sorry.”

Hillary felt more tears spill from her eyes. Ashamed that other people might see, she bent her had and wiped her tears again. Her brain failed to form coherent sentences at that moment, but she wanted so much to express her gratitude for his apology. Even in a small scale, she felt vindicated.

“Hillary?” she felt her gently hand touch her chin and lift her face up.

Hillary stifled a hiccup as she struggled to maintain her breathing.

“Let me be the first civilian to say...thank you. Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you, Hillary. You are a true American hero and a true patriot,” Bill said truthfully.

Bill’s declarations opened Hillary’s floodgates. Unable to control her emotions any longer, Hillary jumped into him and clung in his arms, spilling her tears on his chest. Bill, wanting to make her feel the sincerity of his words, wrapped his arm around him as she quietly sobbed against him.

“Thank you...thank you...” Hillary whispered.

“Shhhhh,” Bill cooed. “Just let it out, Hillary. If you need a shoulder to cry on, I am just here.” He stroked her hair affectionately.

Cindy watched the entire scene unfold right before her eyes, her jaw dropping in disbelief. Her mind drifted to Bill’s plan. Looking at Bill and Hillary at that moment, wasn’t afraid that Hillary would be in danger. No. Bill’s plan was fail safe. However, she feared that Hillary might get hurt.

Hillary continued to weep silently on Bill’s chest, pouring all the anguish on her tears. People were starting to glare at them, but Bill shielded her from the judging eyes that prejudiced Hillary and demeaned her experiences. Bill felt that he too shared the blame, as he was prejudicial to her himself. With that, he vowed to protect her from the harsh and unforgiving world that she gravitated in.

When Bill felt that Hillary was a little calmer, he politely asked to be excuse and bought a bottle of water for each of them. Touched by his sweet and caring gesture, Hillary smiled as she accepted the bottle and silently gulped the water, the dryness in her throat after her crying now gone.

Hillary liked Bill the moment their eyes clapped on each other. There was no doubt about that. However, liking someone, or even physical attraction, didn’t necessarily mean there was something else. In truth, Hillary had always comfortable whenever Bill was around. There was no awkwardness between them. When they talked, they connected. And when they connected, they bonded. They had forged an inexplicable link that somehow made them each other’s sole comfort. Bill, still reeling from a break up, felt loved and appreciated by Hillary’s thankfulness, and she, a lone fighter in a war currently waged, found a quiet ally in Bill.

It was as if...they were soulmates.

Neither had entertained the idea that they were indeed soulmates. It didn’t matter, anyway. Especially at a time when one of them was in danger because of a great sacrifice that she made. What mattered was that Hillary was kept safe.

When Hillary finished her water bottle, Bill took his handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to Hillary for her to use. She took the handkerchief, mouthing her thanks in between, and dabbed the tears that were left in her eyes. Once she was looking all better, Bill stood up again and ordered a cup of milk tea for her.

Hillary smiled appreciatively as Bill handed her the milk tea. “How did you know?”

He chuckled. “I remembered seeing the unwashed cups with teabags and drips of milk at the apartment. I wonder where those came from.”

Hillary blushed from his teasing as she laughed “I am so sorry for being lazy at my chores.”

“You should laugh more, Hillary. Nothing is better for a person than a good, hearty laugh,” Bill said.

Bill’s pronouncement was partly a lie. He did want her to laugh, but for a reason that less concerned Hillary. He loved hearing her laugh, that deep belly laugh that was contagious and uplifting enough to make him levitate from the floor.

Hillary giggled. “I’ll try. But you are right, I do need to laugh. When people are trapped in terrible circumstances, they usually forget to appreciate the things that they have. They forget to laugh. A person should never ever forget to laugh. Thank you for reminding me,” she said appreciatively as she gulped her milk tea.

With the way that Hillary had been talking to him, it seemed that she had already forgiven him. Bill felt like pumping his fist in triumph, but his mission was not yet done. He had another task at hand before he could pat himself in the back and say “Mission Accomplished.” Again, he reached down to his pocket and held the small item in it, praying that he would succeed.

After that, their conversation drifted to a variety of topics, as if they were in her kitchen table again, with he typing furiously in his laptop and she sitting leisurely in front of her. Their magnetism for a conversation was strong. Once somebody started, it was hard to stop. It’s as if they had prepared an index card of possible topics of conversation and they just keep throwing topic after topic and neither had the heart to stop. Both were too engrossed with their chat that they had completely forgotten that Cindy was watching them, and she had to text Hillary reminding her that they should leave soon.

Both were glad that they had met up again before Hillary finalized her plans for relocation. Everything had been settled between them and they found each other a true friend, sharing the weight of each other’s burden. It was magnificent, actually.

Before Hillary could leave, Bill felt that it was time for him to do his final task. He gulped and took a deep breath, saying his last round of prayers.

“What is it Bill?” Hillary asked innocently.

“I...uh...since I know what you are currently going through, and since what I have done jeopardized your safety, I...uh...I have a proposal for you,” Bill fidgeted in his seat.

“Okay,” Hillary was listening intently.

Bill reached for the small item in his pocket and laid it on the table in front of them. It was a small velvet box.

Hillary was at loss for words as soon as she saw the box. “Bill...I...what are you saying?”

“I got a job in Little Rock,” Bill said, “and I know Little Rock is one of your options for relocation. I want to make it up to you Hillary. I want to do it so badly. You...” Bill bit his lip and bent his head, “...you can come live with me. I have already brought this up with the FBI. They said the change in your surname and the relocation could keep you well hidden for a while, or at least until you are called to testify. When you leave Little Rock, then we can file for divorce. The FBI will take care of it for us.”

Hillary was still looking at the velvet box, her breathing slow and labored.

Bill was pleading. “I know that this is a shock to you but please, consider. I don’t want you to be alone. Even for a short period, please let me be your best friend and companion.

Hillary felt numb. All her life, she had waited for someone to propose marriage to her. She had boyfriends before, but none of them were serious. They were all intimidated by her intellect, her resilience and her courage. But there she was, sitting inside a Starbucks with a guy whom she just met weeks ago proposing marriage to her! And he was not kidding! He even got a real engagement ring with him!

Not wanting to disrupt Bill’s life for her, Hillary tried to decline politely. “Bill, I cannot ask you to do that for me. Please do not put your life on hold for me.”

“But you have done so for the country!” Bill countered.

“Yes, and I did it with my own volition. I stand by what I did. I am a big girl, Bill. I can face the consequences of my actions.”

Bill shook his head. “But that doesn’t mean you have to face them alone, Hillary.”

Bill’s persistence was too much against her refusal, so Hillary tried another route.

“An engagement ring is something you give you someone you love, Bill. You don’t just give it away to anyone,” Hillary said.

“Someday, I hope I’ll be able to give this ring to the woman I love. But for now, this is yours Hillary,” Bill declared with finality.

Hillary looked to Cindy, asking for support. The agent silently nodded, signaling her approval of Bill’s proposal.

Hillary sighed. Finally, she held out her hand, waiting for him to insert the ring.

Bill was both shocked and relieved to find Hillary’s arm stretched in front of him. Yes! Excited, he opened the box and slowly pushed the ring into her left ring finger. This was not how Bill imagined he would propose to any girl, but Bill felt happy all the same. He was probably not as happy as he would have been if he proposed to his actual girlfriend, but he would take it for now. Bill knew that better days lie ahead of them. One day, he would have fulfilled his dreams and Hillary would be an American hero, exalted from sea to shining sea.

As both of them dreamed of a better future, Bill could not help but gaze at the ring that adorned her hand.

Maybe his better future was right in front of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hurraaah. I made it to my deadline! Whew.
> 
> I hope you like this update. Hahahaha. Did I surprise you all? 
> 
> As always, thanks for the feedback!


	7. Six

Bill waited for his bride inside the district court in Brooklyn. He had arrived early for the wedding ceremony, wearing his normal suit and tie. Right after his engagement with Hillary, the FBI had worked on the details of their married life in hiding: Hillary was a Canadian citizen who had been dating Bill for a year and married him for the citizenship. Bill and Hillary were not supposed to draw attention to that part of the story, but if anyone else became suspicious, they would provide that viable answer. The most likely person to cast doubts on that arrangement was Bill’s mother, who knew about Mia and his break-up. However, Bill would tell his Mother that he had agreed to this arrangement and was willing to help Hillary out with her citizenship, which he was sure would be met with intense disapproval.

Hillary took Bill out for dinner a week before their wedding as gratitude for his willingness to take her in, and as their "first date". There, Hillary made a proposition for their faux marriage: an open relationship. Since Hillary did not want Bill to hold his life for her, she thought that she could allow him to go out with other women if he liked, as long as he would come home to her to protect her secret.

Hillary's proposal left Bill crestfallen. While he respected her decision, he himself had another idea in mind: friends with benefits. He didn't know whether Hillary would want to have sex with him but he was sure that neither of them was in a fit state for a relationship. He was reeling from a breakup and she was under constant government surveillance. Bill's proposal was silly yet it made a lot of sense. But since Hillary herself brought up the idea of an open relationship, Bill assumed that she didn't want to forge sexual relations with him.

Bill had been thinking a lot about their situation, and he came to a single conclusion: If they were in different circumstances, Bill would have dated Hillary right away. Why not, right? She was smart, beautiful, sexy and incredibly caring too. He felt like she was a breath of fresh air compared to his cheating girlfriend.

Unbeknownst to Bill, Hillary herself was drawn to him. Very much so. That was why in the middle of her shock at his proposal, her heart was fluttering, like a schoolgirl receiving a letter from her crush. Hillary hadn't felt like that since she was, well, a schoolgirl. As Bill inserted the ring into her left ring finger, Hillary felt a mixture of anxiety and hopefulness. She was anxious about a sudden marriage, but she was hopeful that she could be happy with Bill.

The doors of the courtroom opened, and Hillary, clad in a simple white sleeveless dress that hung above her knees, entered the courtroom. Her hair was pulled behind her left ear, where a white flower was tucked in it. She held a small bouquet of flowers in her hand. Behind her were Agents Berkeley and Delaney, who had dressed up as wedding guests.

From the opposite ends of the courtroom, Bill and Hillary locked eyes the way a real bride and groom would on their wedding. Bill’s heart pounded like a large drum as he saw Hillary walk down the courtroom aisle. She looked absolutely stunning. Their marriage might be a pretense, but Bill was sure that what he was feeling at the moment was not. He was certain that he felt strongly for her, as evidenced by their intense kiss at her apartment weeks ago, though he did not know whether her response was only physical or something deeper than that.

Hillary, on the other hand, was in a complete daze. At the end of the aisle was Bill, patiently waiting for her to join him. It would have been a fairy tale come true for her to see a man waiting for her at the end of the aisle. After all, she wanted a family of her own. A husband to cherish and children to love. However, her reality was a fake. It was all a charade, a spectacle, a display.

_It would have been amazing if this was all for real_ , Hillary thought.

As they met at the end of the aisle, Hillary stopped to kiss Bill on the cheek. She whispered a small  _thank you_  on his ear, and that was enough to send him to tears. Behind them, the two FBI agents were stunned to find the scene full of raw emotion. Berkeley and Delaney looked at each other. At that moment, they had realized that their decision to let Bill and Hillary marry was bound to hurt the two.

The wedding ceremony was a swift one, and somehow, it became am apt symbolism of what their marriage would be: swift and pretentious. That fact hung over the heads of all the people in the courtroom, save for the judge who was completely unaware of the special circumstance of the marriage he officiated. But despite that, Bill and Hillary clung to each others’ hands like a lifeline, but it was not because they had no choice, but because they, of all people in the world, found solace in each other, a bond they would not share with anybody else.

“I do,” he said.

“I do,” she said.

As these timeless words were exchanges, Bill and Hillary felt their destinies lock together in the most special and intimate way. One would think that the unusual circumstance of their marriage would make them detest each other or bitter about their fate. In fact, it was the other way around. As Bill pushed the wedding band on her finger, Hillary held her breath in anticipation. And when it was her turn to do the same, Bill could not stop looking at the band that finally adorned his finger.

Yes, both of their hearts were beating for each other.

Only, they didn’t know that it was the case.

Even when they kissed for the first time as husband and wife - a soft, tender kiss shared with every emotion reeling in their body - they didn’t know that what they had felt for each other was strong and true. As their lips touched, so did their souls. Bill and Hillary never knew that moment that the slightest brush of their lips, the softest caress of their tongues, would open a floodgates of emotions that neither could stop.

It took Bill and Hillary quite a while before their mutually broke apart from their kiss. And when they did, as soon as they opened their eyes, the first thing they saw was each other’s gazing orbs. With the judge and the FBI agents forgotten, the two of them simply stared at each other, basking on each other’s presence and warmth.

“I...I…,” Bill struggled to string two words together. But what he meant to say “I love you” became a litany of incoherent words.

For the briefest time, Hillary had hoped that Bill was about to say “I love you” but those words never came. She was mildly disappointed. She knew that her fantasies were futile anyway. After all, the man was still recovering from a painful break-up. There was no way he would let himself fall for a strange woman who dragged him into her own personal mess.

* * *

Right after the wedding ceremony, the pair packed their bags and flew straight to Florida, where the FBI had arranged their honeymoon. They were to spend a week there before flying to Little Rock. Of course, neither of them would object to an all-expense-paid trip. However, it came at a slight expense: they were so exhausted that night that they were too tired to notice the awkwardness when they slept together in the same bed for the first time inside their hotel room.  

When Bill woke up the next day, he found themselves tangled in each other, with Hillary hugging Bill’s naked torso the same way a little girl hugs her teddy bear. She was still fast asleep. Bill could not remembered how they came to that position, but he did have a faint memory of taking his shirt of and crashing into the bed after she had fallen asleep. He figured that they must have moved while they were sleeping.

In any case, Bill thought it was a bad idea to let Hillary wake up on this awkward state, but he could not let himself not indulge in his fantasies either. Slowly, he wrapped his arm around her back and kissed the crown of her head, like a normal husband would do to his wife every morning. He let himself experience the small joy of being able to wake up with someone special to him, even for just a little while. Oh, what he wouldn’t give to wake up like that everyday without the fear of getting hurt.

He gently pushed her arm away, replacing his body with a soft pillow for her to hold on to. She gently stirred as Bill made the switch, but she did not wake up. Relieved, Bill left the bed to order breakfast for them.

Hillary found herself alone in the bed when she woke up. She wasn’t sure what happened that night, but she was certain that nothing had happened, since she still wore her nighties. Her body was aching for a good massage, as she spent most of the previous running around in heels. She would have to call for a masseuse in their room. But before that, a good soak would suffice.

She got up from the bed and pulled a robe over her nightie. She walked towards the bathroom door, which she found locked. She stuck her ear in to door and heard a string of sensual sighs and moans from inside, coupled with the sounds of water trickling down the tub. Obviously, it was Bill who was inside, no doubt touching himself, and Hillary could not help but feel the urge to destroy the door and join him. God. The sounds were so erotic. Whatever hesitation she might have had, it had all vanished and it was completely replaced with intense arousal. Her nipples tightened, her center moistened. She gently closed her eyes as her mouth hung open. Absentmindedly, her hand found its way inside her underwear and into her nub, and began to rub it in earnest.

Hillary was so aroused that within seconds, her fingers were already inside her, pumping in and out. She gyrated her hips against the door, which acted as her support. She leaned her hack against the door as she fucked her thrusting digits, imagining that it was Bill’s cock that was inside her. Damn, that felt so good. She felt her walls clamp down on her fingers as her panties were soaked with her juices all over. She had never reached an orgasm this fast since high school.

Fortunately for Hillary, her moans were drowned by the sound of the shower, thus Bill never knew that his wife was on the other side of the door, fantasizing about making love with him. He robed himself before going out of the shower. And when he did, he found her sitting on the edge of the bed, looking flushed and restless.

“Hey, are you okay?” asked a concerned Bill.

Hillary couldn’t bear to look into him. “Yeah, I am fine. Don’t worry about me.”

Bill sat next to her and gently took her head. “You look a little ill. Do you need me to call a doctor?”

She shook her head. “No. I...I just need a shower.”

Bill wasn’t entirely convinced with her response, but he decided not to press further. “Alright, the shower is yours.”

“Thank you.”

After Hillary had showered and they had their breakfast, the two decided how they would spend the remaining days of their honeymoon. That day, they chose to lounge at the beach and then have some drinks at the beach bar. Despite the initial awkwardness of being husband and wife, the two did pretty well during the day, slowly being comfortable with each other’s presence. Like they were almost...friends.

“To our marriage,” Hillary raised her shot of vodka, the small glass in her hand reflected the soft light of the moon above them. She was wearing a two piece bikini inside a sarong.

“To our marriage,” Bill joined the toast. They cheered and drank their shots straight. He licked his lips after drinking. “Damn.”

“I know,” Hillary giggled. “This is some fine shit.”

“Free booze, free hotel, free everything. This is the life,” Bill stretched his arms as he leaned to his chair as if it was a hammock.

Hillary poured another shot of vodka. “I know. But hey, in a week. We’ll be back to the cruel reality”.

Bill sighed. “I know. I am looking forward to my new job, though.”

Hillary didn’t answer. She didn’t know if there was anything she was looking forward to. After a while, he sensed her silence and figured out that his last comment was probably not the best thing to say. He got up and, like whenever Hillary got upset, he folded his hand over hers.

“Hey, it’s okay,” he cooed, “Everything will be alright. Your life will be back to normal.”

“You don’t know that,” she poured herself another shot and looked down on her lap, “I may never get back to New York again. I don’t know when I will get to see my mom. I…I love my life before this. I have everything. A budding career, great family, good friends. Everything. And then I just...I just threw them all away.” She drank another shot.

Bill squeezed her hand tighter. “But what you did was for noble cause. No one was brave enough to do what you did.”

Hillary scoffed. “Yeah, sure. And I am the First Lady of the United States.”

“You don’t believe me, don’t you?”

She slammed her shotglass on her table. “It’s hard to when you are suffering this much when the rest of America sits idly by, just watching everything unfold. Then don’t get to be separated from their families. They don’t get themselves into to a fake marriage with a...”

Bill held his breath for Hillary’s next word.

“...a man you barely knew just to keep yourself safe,” Hillary did not notice the apparent hurt in Bill’s eyes. She seemed to have forgotten that Bill was sitting next to him.

For the rest of the night, Hillary kept drinking the bottle of vodka in front of them, while Bill wallowed next to her, refusing to drink anymore. He fell silent as she rambled and rambled about her unfortunate circumstance. By midnight, the entire bottle of vodka was empty, with Hillary having a severe headache, and Bill...well, his heart was aching.

“You’re quiet...sorry I drank all of vodka,” Hillary slurred. “And I left my credit card at the hotel room.”

“Let’s just go back,” Bill invited her, his voice as cold as ice.

“Mmmmkay,” Hillary wobbled as she stood up.

Despite his contempt for her at the moment, Bill held Hillary steadily as they walked back to their hotel room. In hindsight, it was probably a good idea that Bill did not drink any more vodka, as she could barely walk straight. She kept bumping into him. He could feel the soft cheeks of her ass rubbing against his crotch. Damn. At first, Bill thought that the friction was unintentional, but later on, he could feel her hips gyrating against him as they walked. He was distancing himself from her, but she kept following. All that teasing make Bill’s cock stiff by the time they arrived at the hotel, where all the lights made it impossible for him to hide his erection. In an ironic move, Bill pressed himself further against Hillary to hide the erection raging behind her ass.

Once they arrived at their hotel room and Bill closed the door, he felt being swerved forcefully away from the door, and a pair of soft, sweet lips slammed against his. He was caught by surprise, and for a few seconds, he was frozen in his place. But Hillary’s insistent and desperate kisses melted his resolve, and soon, he was kissing her back. She easily welcomed his tongue into her mouth as he tasted the remnants of vodka that she just drank.

Hilary voluntary hooked her leg against his thigh, fully feeling his growing erection. Bill moaned at the contact as he kept devouring her mouth. As if in a contest for dominance, their hands started wandering across their flush bodies: she on his crotch and he on her breasts. Somewhere in their lust-drunken minds, they had agreed that their clothing were much of a nuisance to their coupling so they mutually broke apart and removed their garments: he, his shorts and she, her sarong. Bill was left to his trunks while Hillary had her bikini, which Bill thought was a poor excuse for a swimming garment. Bill almost thought that Hillary had nothing underneath her sarong, but in fact, she was covered with a top that barely hid her breasts and a bottom that looked like a thong. Plus, the bikini was colored flesh, so it blended right against her skin. God, Bill thought that she was sexier in that bikini that if she was nude, or what he had imagined if she was indeed nude. Hillary...just wow. Bill’s cock was simply begging to be inside her.

Without warning, Hillary latched her mouth into his nipple, licking and sucking him the way he would do to a woman. He arched his neck and he let out a sexy sigh. But beneath the indescribable ecstasy, Bill wondered debated whether to stop Hillary from going further, as he was sure that she was going to regret this in the morning, or just to  _ride_ with her.

But Bill’s rational brain shut down when Hillary, much to his surprise, yanked his trunks and completely inhaled his stiff member, swallowing every inch that she could. Oh god. His eyes fluttered and his mouth hung open as his hands gently gripped his head, guiding her along his length. She sucked him as if she was gasping for air, each draw was like a cling to life itself.

“Fuck me,” Hillary whispered.

Bill woke up from his trance, his eyes popping in surprise with what she just said. His mind started whirring again, and the fear of hurting her began to creep in his veins. However, his desire to fulfill her wish overpowered anything else.

“Hillary…stop,” he sighed. She looked up to him with an apparent look of hurt on her face.

“You don’t want me?” Her eyes glassed with tears.

“No, no, no…I do. I fucking do. I…I don’t want either of us to regret this in the morning.”

“Will you?” Hillary challenged him.

“I won’t”

“Then I won’t, either.”

He knelt down and kissed her deeply. This time, their kissed were much more loving than hurried. Each caress, each nip was filled with affection both had hidden for so long. But even with her consent, Bill was a little hesitant. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her again.

Sensing her impatience, Bill carried Hillary into their bed, like a real groom carrying his real bride. He gently laid her down like the most delicate glass. She pulled the strings of her bikini, removing her of the unnecessary garment. She spread her legs open, ready to welcome him for the first time. When he was about to enter her, Hillary pushed her hand against her chest, pressing him to stop.

“I want to be over you,” she said.

Bill obliged. He rolled them over so they switched places. He thought that she would sit up straight and ride him in such position. But he was surprised he remained crouched over him. He felt her grab his member and position in her hot, sopping entrance. Bill felt her quiver in anticipation. Up until the last second, there was a part of Bill that wanted to stop this, but before he could do anything else, he was fully enveloped by her wet heat, his senses on fire as he drowned in indescribable pleasure.

But as he let himself succumb to her dominance, he could not entirely let himself go. This did not go unnoticed to Hillary, who was fucking him and kissing him in earnest. His pleasure was as important to her as her own, so she stopped her movements and unmounted him, causing a confused expression to form on Bill’s face.

“Is there something wrong?”

Hillary opened the bottle of scotch that had been standing on their bedside table, and she sloppily poured some to a glass. She lifted the filled glass and handed it to Bill, who was more confused than ever.

“You need to relax, Honey. Relax and leave the rest to me,” Hillary said.

Bill obediently followed her orders. He drank the glass of scotch and placed the container in the bedside table once it was empty. Hillary affectionately wiped the scotch off his lips, conveying the feelings that she tried to keep at bay from the moment their eyes met. She was about to lick her fingers when Bill stopped her from doing so, and instead brought her fingers into his mouth and sucked them the way she did it to him earlier.   

In the midst of her alcohol-induced state, Hillary felt a myriad of emotions, the most dominant of which the feeling of being loved, of being cared for, of being cherished.

She wasn’t alone, after all.

“You love me, don’t you?” she whispered, her voice cracking.

Bill’s only response was a fervent kiss. He kissed her like no other woman, even Mia. Yes, he was genuinely in love with her, even though he only knew her for a short period of time. And judging from her actions tonight, there can be no doubt that she loved him too.

He pulled her back to the bed, resuming their interrupted lovemaking. Despite their frustrations, neither felt the need to rush their consummation. They had all the time in the world.

Hillary was back on top, and she was determined to make their first time as husband and wife memorable. She felt Bill guide himself into her, and in an agonizingly slow pace, she lowered herself unto him, this time, the sensation inside her was more intense than the first.

“You are worth it,” Bill sighed.

Slowly, she moved her hips as nipped Bill’s neck, planting her mark in his most sensitive skin. She felt him counter her thrusts with his own, spurring both of them on. In the middle of her ministrations, she gasped as Bill closed his warm mouth into her nipple.

“Please,” Hillary moaned against his neck. Her voice was desperate.

With her head reclined back, Hillary rose and fell over his stiff member while he was holding the back of her head to the side of his neck. Her tongue and teeth marked him. Gentler then their coupling earlier. Soothing. Passionate and beautiful. An emotional connection as strong as theirs just didn't die and fade away. How when she gave a little twerk of her hips while squeezing around him it elicited the deepest moan from the pit of his throat. She attacked him there, kissing, suckling, marking him with love bites that could not deny what happened to them that night.

As she rode him, whining softly in his ear, a tenderness grew within her. Sinking onto him over and over, slowly fucking herself on his cock because she absolutely loved that raw, primal sexuality he wore all over his face. He was so hard and smooth inside her, filling her so fully the sensation felt illegal it was so perfect. Her right hand lovingly caressed his face, tracing over his jaw, tapering off his chin as he held her stare the entire time. The feelings were so close to the surface, so she dove after him, her tongue probing hungrily between his lips as she rode harder. His hands clasped and squeezed her bare ass in time with her thrusts as the soft, smacking noise of frantic fucking grew until she felt him swell, tense and then throb powerfully inside her.

She ate his orgasmic cry, covering his mouth, swallowing his grunts as his member jerked and spasmed inside her, bursting spurts of hot, wet heat until she had taken all that he had to give. And even then she kept on riding until she had it all. Until he was dry, empty and broken. Until at last his hands held her hips down, stilling her movement.

They were shivering in each other’s arms, connected like a husband and woman should be. Lying on the bed, their hearts beat as one. As they closed their eyes, getting ready to sleep, somewhere in Bill’s sated mind, he wondered whether what happened that night was real, or it was just a fantasy induced by alcohol.

_Not now_ , he thought. What was important at the moment was that Hillary was in his arms, and he intended to keep it that way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys...I don't know what happened. For some reason, I am having a difficulty writing this and _Eagle_ despite knowing what to do. But I hope you like this and the extra long chapter makes up for my laaaaaaate upload. 
> 
> As always, thanks for the feedback. I appreciate it a lot!


	8. Seven

The flight from Miami to Little Rock was the single most silent, uncomfortable experience the newlyweds had so far since they got married a week ago. Neither was talking, and neither had the urge to do so, even just to break the tension that was surrounding them. For someone who had just been married, Bill and Hillary were off to a rocky start.

The morning following Hillary’s drunken episode, she woke up with a terrible hangover with no idea of the events that transpired the night before. That left a stunned Bill, who was hoping that their first night together wasn’t a fluke, but apparently, it was. Bill was terribly hurt by all of this. Hillary sensed that something was wrong with him and she tried to find out what it was. He, who didn’t want to embarrass Hillary, kept his silence, but that only infuriated Hillary, who thought that he wasn’t being honest with her.

Well, while it was true that Bill was hiding something – a very big something – from her, he did it because he did not want to Hillary to attach herself to her, especially that she was the one who proposed that they have an open marriage. But still, Hillary hated being lied to. And because of that, the two refused to talk for the rest of their honeymoon unless absolutely necessary.

What was hoped to be a short escape from their cruel reality turned out to be a test environment of what their marriage would be.

Bill sighed. He had hoped that his relationship with Hillary would at least be amicable, or even friendly. But with a start this rough, he doubted it.

Maybe it would be for the good, he thought. He thought back to his original reason why he shouldn’t fall in love with her: he just got off from a breakup and Hillary was only going to stay for a couple of months. But despite all of it, his heart seemed to want to defy logic.

Maybe his heart knew something that he didn’t.

Hillary slept for most of the flight, or at least she tried to. The uncomfortable standoff with Bill had taken a physical and emotional toll on her. She couldn’t sleep, not with the big secret that Bill was hiding from her. Because Bill had generously offered his life and his home to her, Hillary didn’t want her to burden him more than what was necessary. And with his continued silence, she was sure that she was the cause of his undue stress.

After days of exhaustion, both from the honeymoon and her emotional turmoil, Hillary’s body began to give in. Her eyes began to close involuntarily, her head drifting like a wooden chime being blown by a gentle breeze. When she could no longer fight the exhaustion, her eyes finally closed as her head involuntarily rested on Bill’s shoulder.

Bill, for his part, did not have the heart to remove her head from himself. As his wife slept, Bill asked the flight attendant for some blankets to keep her warm. When the attended handed him the blanket, he wrapped it all over Hillary. Looking at her serene features, he could not resist planting a soft kiss on the crown of her head.

When Hillary woke up, she found herself propped with a neck pillow and covered in warm blankets, while Bill was asleep, his head leaning on his shoulder, his glasses lopsided on his nose and a book propped open in his lap. Hillary stretched her arms and legs, feeling refreshed after her long slumber. She then tucked the pillow on his neck, took the book from his lap, folded the glasses and hung them on the pocket of his shirt, and wrapped him in her blanket. As he slept soundly, she made sure that there wasn't a single wrinkle that marred his clothing or his blanket. For the remainder of the flight, she didn't sleep. She simply looked at his sweet, beautiful face.

Hillary smiled at herself. She was lucky that she would be waking up to that face every morning. She knew she wanted more than that but she would be happy to settle for what she could get.  

* * *

Bill’s mother greeted the newlyweds at Little Rock airport. She was a woman whom Hillary found...colorful. She was a short woman, even shorter than her, and she had a face full of make-up. Hillary herself was not into cosmetics but much, but she knew well enough that that amount of make-up was too much for daywear. She had a white patch of hair that reminded Hillary of a raccoon (best to not tell Bill about that).

“Mama!” Bill hugged his mother tightly.

“Billy!” his mother squealed in anticipation. It was clear that she missed her son very much. As she held her son in her arms, she swayed left and right, unable to contain her glee of finally seeing her little Billy. “Let me look at you!” Bill’s mom broke away and admired how much her son had changed. Hillary thought the woman would almost combust right there at the airport.

“Mama, I want you to meet somebody,” Bill pulled Hillary and hung his arms over her shoulder, squeezing her affectionately. Or at least Hillary thought that it was. “This is Hillary, my wife.” Bill looked to Hillary and pointed to his mother, “Hillary, this is my Mama, Virginia.”

“Hi Virginia,” Hillary gently extended her hand to Virginia and flashed her widest smile.

Virginia smile fell, leaving a look on her face that was a mixture of shock and disappointment before picking up to a half-hearted smile, and returned Hillary’s handshake with only a portion of her enthusiasm. “I am glad to meet you, Hillary.”

Hillary wasn’t an expert on body language, but she knew that Virginia wasn’t glad at all. At that moment, she braced herself for an unpleasant relationship with her mother-in-law.

“Come, both of you. Let’s all go home!” Virginia was back to her usual, cheery self as they walked towards the taxi stand and left the airport for the Clintons’ home.

For the entire duration of the ride home, Virginia kept talking with Bill and never made an effort to interact with Hillary. That didn’t escape the notice of Bill, who kept bringing Hillary into the conversation.

When they arrived home, Virginia kept Bill to herself while Hillary was left to her own. Of course, she could not begrudge the doting mother of precious bonding time with her son. Though Hillary was annoyed that Virginia seemed to willfully ignore that Bill was married to her.

By the time dinner came, it was clear to Hillary that Virginia disliked her. Or more accurately, she despised her. In between spoonfuls, Virginia kept asking about Mia in front of Hillary. Hillary, for her part, kept her emotions in check, willing herself not to cry in front of her husband and her mother-in-law. Instead, she listened to Bill telling Virginia about him and Mia, something that he hadn’t opened up to Hillary ever since they met.

“You have been talking about Mia for quite some time. I thought you were going to end up together. What happened?” Virginia asked before she swallowed her slice of steak.

Bill shrugged, clearly uncomfortable with his Mama’s question. “It’s been rough, Mama.”

“What does she specialize on, again?” Virginia inquired with great interest.

“Family law. Child custody case.”

Hillary hung her head. Bill’s ex-girlfriend...she was living _her_ dream.

Virginia then turned her attention to Hillary. “What about you, Hillary? What do you do?” Hillary was sure Virginia meant that question to demean her.

“I...I was a teacher in a public school in Harlem,” Hillary used the talking point the FBI gave her.

Virginia scoffed. “Teachers and their unions. They think they know better than the parents.”

Hillary was sure that if she told her what she really was, Virginia would find a way to criticize her. It was as if she hated her with incredible fervor. Despite the verbal abuse that she was enduring from Virginia, Hillary could not blame her. After all, she was truly an intruder, not family.

That last sentence struck her heart.

Since agreeing to marry Bill, Hillary tried her best not to think of her family. Her mother, her brothers, her nephews and nieces. Any reminder of them only intensified her loneliness. At the moment, she was thankful that Bill was with her to keep her company. But what about after she left Little Rock? When could she see them again?

As if there was a thin string that connected their hearts, Bill reached for her hand under the table and squeezed it. Once again, the alleviated her sadness and loneliness and replaced it with warmth and assurance, and that was enough to give her a temporary emotional support.

“Mama, whatever you might feel about teachers or unions, I think Hillary is exceptional at her work,” Bill squeezed her hand again and smiled. “There’s a reason why I chose to marry her.”

With the way Bill was looking at her, Hillary felt that he was telling the drunk. She was swimming in his gaze, that lovesick gaze that she never got from any of her ex-boyfriends. That gaze that made her feel special, unique and magnificent. And before she knew it, she was staring at him the same way. For her, he was special, unique and magnificent.

Virginia could not deny that her son was in love with this Yankee feminist teacher who didn’t even know how to wear make-up to please her husband. With a scowl, Virginia sighed in defeat and finished the rest of her dinner in silence.

* * *

That night, Bill welcome Hillary to their bedroom. When both of them were inside, they breathed out a sigh of relief. For them, the bedroom was the only place in their house that their veils of secrecy were lifted.

“Whew, I am so exhausted,” Bill crashed into the bed, causing Hillary, who was sitting on the other side and removing her clothes, to bounce.

“Same here,” Hillary unclasped her bra and threw it on the floor, freeing her breasts from their constraints. “Damn, it feels free.”

“What’s that?” Bill made the mistake of looking up to Hillary, who was naked on her upper body.

“Watch it!” Hillary covered her breasts with her hand. Ever since their honeymoon, she was careful not to let Bill see any of her private body parts, not knowing that he had already seen her in her naked glory, and she him. Bill, for his part, kept himself from being seen as well to avoid making her feel uncomfortable.

“Sorry!” Bill immediately covered his eyes. “I did not know you were changing!”

“Sorry too, I thought your eyes were closed when you lied down,” Hillary apologized.

“Just...just tell me when to open my eyes, okay?”

“Okay.”

When Hillary was in her nightgown already, she nudged Bill to open his eyes.

“Sorry,” Bill said, biting his lip. He could not help but look into the slight hint of cleavage that was visible in her nightgown.

“That’s alright. No biggie,” Hillary was now brushing her hair.

Bill shook his head. “No, I mean for today. I am sorry how my mother treated you. I sort of expected that she would be indifferent to you, given how she liked Mia very much. But I was caught off-guard by how rudely she acted earlier. I...I never saw her act like that around my girlfriends before.”

Hillary played with the fabric of her nightgown. “I don’t think I you ever had a girl who forced you into a relationship.”

Bill knew she was still blaming herself for dragging him into her mess. He went around the bed and knelt in front of her, settling in between her legs. “Listen, you did not force me into anything. I did this with my full consent. I wanted this. If anything, I should be thankful to you. Our lives are a mess right now, but being with you...I feel I’m not alone. I feel like I can bounce back, you know?”

His words brought joy and comfort in her heart. “I feel the same way too. Thank you for being with me in this awful phase in my life.” She took her hand and brought it to her face, her thumb rubbing the back of her hand.

That touch, that language of affection, was enough for them to forget themselves, and the harsh reality they were in. They were enclosed in a bubble that was stronger than the four walls of their bedroom. In the midst of the facade, they felt that this was...real.

As real as the marriage they were in, something that they were yet to acknowledge.

She pulled him up to the bed, her arms locked around his rib cage. She pulled back just enough to meet his eyes with a glowing smile on her face.

His whole body felt warm. She'd never looked more beautiful.

His eyes flicked down to her lips, lingering there for a moment before darting back up to her gaze.

She knew what that signal meant. She'd seen it before. The last traces of her resolve crumbled under his touch. She couldn't think. All she could do was feel his body in her arms. All she could see was his face drawing closer to her. Her eyes closed as their lips met. It was even better than she remembered.

His hands spoke their silent approval as they clutched at her sides and her back.

She was intoxicated by the way he so eagerly parted his lips, inviting her in. Electricity surged through her body as she tasted his honey lips and felt the roughness of his hair with her fingers. For just a moment she let herself get lost in her kiss. And then her mind kicked back in.

_It's just another lie. He's not really kissing me – he’s in an emotional mess and I’m the first person available._

_I can't do this._

She pulled back abruptly and gasped for air. She let his hands trail down her arms as she pulled away from him, before finally dropping them completely.

He looked stunned and hurt. Everything felt cold.

“I’m – I’m sorry,” she stammered. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Why not?” His question sounded like a plea.

Hillary was taken aback by his eagerness. “It’s unfair to you. You should be able to freely choose whom you love. And after hearing about you and Mia, I think that you deserve someone who can love you and take care of you.”

“Is that why you proposed an open marriage?”

“Yes,” Hillary looked away. “I am but a guest in your home. I should not hinder you from doing what you want to do.”

_But you are hindering me. Why_ _wo_ _n’t you allow me to come to you?_ Bill thought bitterly.

“Will you see other men, then?” Bill steered the conversation away.

“I don’t think so. For one, it will create unnecessary rumors against you. I mean, I am already cheating before we can even have a baby?” A large lump seemed to form in her throat, and she noticed that he felt the same too. “And second, I don’t want to attach myself to something so fleeting.”

_I don’t want to attach myself to something so fleeting._

Hillary’s words rang in Bill’s head like a chorus of thunder in a stormy night. Is that why she didn’t want him? Because he was just temporary?

“I see,” a visibly hurt Bill abruptly left the bed for the bathroom.

Before Bill could touch the door of the bathroom, Hillary managed to catch him with a question.

“Why are you still not telling me what bothered you in our honeymoon?” Hillary demanded, her voice filled with desperation and anger. “When you do not like to answer or explain something, you just walk away! I am not stupid, Bill. If I demand answers, then you should give them to me. I am your wife, Bill, for chrissakes!”

Bill turned around, his face unreadable. “Fine. Then take a pregnancy test first thing in the morning.”

He left a stunned Hillary, who was clutching her stomach in defeat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update! I have been lazy this weekend. LOL. I'll be back to reviewing for exams. From this week forward, I'll commit to an update a week, hopefully two. 
> 
> As always, thanks for the feedback and the kudos!


	9. Eight

Morning came, and Hillary remained in bed, curled up and crying. Despite her husband’s orders to take a pregnancy test, she refused to do so point blank. She would not allow herself to be dictated by him. A strong, independent woman who never backed down to a fight, she was not the one to be pushed and bossed around. Besides, who did he think he was to tell her what to do?

Her husband. He’s just her husband.

Hillary recalled the memories of the previous night which were still vivid. Those memories stuck with her until that morning. It bothered her when she slept, and it ate her alive when she woke up.

_“I will not take a pregnancy test,” Hillary refused to do what Bill ordered her to do. “But I get what you are saying.”_

_“Why?” Bill, despite his facade of calmness, was seething._

_Hillary looked away, her eyes glassy with moisture. “I know my own body than you do, thank you very much.”_

_Silence. Silence was Bill’s response._

_“Is there anything else you want me do to?” she challenged him mockingly._

_For the rest of the night, neither had spoken. Hillary hid herself under the covers before Bill came back from the bathroom. She pretended to sleep when he came back to the bedroom. She felt their bed depress and her surroundings suddenly became warmer when his body came close to hers. They didn’t touch, though. She felt him pull the comforter towards to his direction and slept as far away from her as possible._

_Her body was warm, but she was freezing from his icy heart._

Hillary stared at the empty side of the bed, the space that her husband just occupied. She glared at the mess of pillows and blankets that he didn’t bother to fix when he got up and left for work. Huh. Who did he expect to clean up after him? Her?

Deep within her frustration was also loneliness. Hillary realized that it had been a while since she woke up to a messy bed. It’s been what, five years? How fast time flew. Five years ago, she would have been contented just staying home and cleaning up a messy bed that she had woken up to. Five years ago, she would have been happy after a honeymoon in Florida. Five years ago, when everything seemed perfect.

Five years down, the remainder of her lifetime left.

Hillary closed her eyes. The memory of five years ago still ran in her head everyday like the nightly newscast.

_The train of her long white dress almost caused her to trip when she stepped her foot outside the limo. But no worries. Her brother Hughie was able to catch her before she fell. She sheepishly apologized to her brother for her sheer clumsiness, a trait that she had never been able to grow out of._

_“Sorry, Hughie,” Hillary was red in the face as she fixed her dress and her bouquet._

_Hughie chuckled. “It’s alright, baby girl.”_

_Hillary quirked her eyebrows. “Baby girl? Have you forgotten that I’m the eldest?”_

_He pulled the remainder of her train from the limousine. “Of course not. It just means that you’re our princess, and Tony and I will protect you from every asshole man that tried to fuck with you, and that includes your future husband.”_

_Hillary was genuinely touched by Hughie’s words. She hugged him for the last time as a Rodham girl. “Awwww, Hughie. That’s so sweet of you.”_

_“Always, Big Sis. Always.”_

_When Hillary and Hugh walked towards the entrance of the church, they were surprised to see that only half of the guests were inside. She noticed that those who had remained where mostly her family and friends. Hillary’s heart immediately fell. Something wasn’t right._

_Her eyes turned to Betsy, who was her maid of honor, and her parents. They looked like they were attending a funeral. Hillary immediately noticed the letter that was sitting on Betsey’s hand._

_“Hillary,” her father walked up to her, his eyes filled with sadness._

_“What’s going on?” said a confused Hillary._

_“Hillary,” Betsey handed Hillary the letter in her hand, “Robert left this.”_

_Her hands shaking, Hillary took the letter from Betsey and read it:_

> **_My dearest Hillary,_ **
> 
> **_This is probably the most painful letter that I ever had to write._ **
> 
> **_I am sorry that I cannot join you in church today. It’s unfortunate that I won’t see you in your wedding stress. I am sure you look absolutely stunning in it, and I am sure that all of the guest will drop their jaws the moment they see you step out from the limousine._ **
> 
> **_The reason why I cannot be with you today is because it would have been a sin against God if I said the words “I do” even if I do not mean them. I have been fighting with myself whether I could say those immortal words and swear in front of everybody that I will love you and cherish you for the rest of my life, but I can’t. I just can’t._ **
> 
> **_But that is not to say that I don’t love you. I do. You are so special, my love. It’s just that I cannot fulfill the vow that I am supposed to take. I know that you are prepared to take the vow, but it would be unfair to you if I cannot fulfill my eternal promise to you._ **
> 
> **_I know you will hate me for this, and I do not blame you for it. I know I am selfish, but I ask you one last thing: Let love and let live. I know you love me so much, but please, if you fall in love again, allow yourself to do so. Let that lucky person who will have you love you and take care of you. You are amazing, Hillary, and you deserve someone who will love you unconditionally and without preconditions, something that I am too weak to do so._ **
> 
> **_With this, I bid you goodbye. Take care of yourself Hillary._ **
> 
> **_I love you ‘till the end._ **
> 
> **_Robert_ **

It had been five years, and despite the numerous dates, endless flirtations and countless kisses, Hillary could still not allow herself to really fall in love. Hillary was a smart, sexy, attractive woman who never really had difficulty over men fawning over her. The number of when who tried to date her after her almost wedding exceeded the number of fingers on her hand, but still, nobody came close to Robert.

That was, until Bill came along.

How she and Bill came together...it baffled her as much as it fascinated her. He did not actively pursue her, unlike the other men she had known. No. He was just a very kind man who had been gracious and valiant enough to take her and keep her from the dangers that lurked after she betrayed the President of the United States. She practically wore a bull’s eye they moment she entered the FBI headquarters. But despite all of that, Bill didn’t care. He made her feel special, despite the awful things she had done to him.

At that moment, she realized that there was something she feared more than being killed by a Russian assassin.

She feared that Bill would be like Robert.

* * *

The next couple of weeks were like whirlwind for Hillary. Now unemployed and with a lot of free time on her hands, she devoted her time tending to her husband’s needs. Hillary sighed with relief when she learned that Virginia would be going back to the Clintons’ home in Hot Springs to give them privacy. As an ordinary housewife, she busied herself with the upkeep of their house and some local volunteer work. She had signed up as a volunteer teacher at a day care center that was run by their local church. Every morning, she goes to the day care to teach and babysit little kids whose parents were busy with work but where too poor to afford childcare.

Bill hadn’t touched Hillary since their honeymoon, and she was grateful for the small respite. Their abstinence made her forget that she was married to him. All the while, she saw him as a roommate who paid for their bills, and she was the roommate who had to work for him so that she won’t have to pay. It was similar to their arrangement when he was still living with her, only that the roles were reversed. He was the one who was financially able and she was the freeloader who had to work for every penny that he wasn’t charging her.

As the weeks passed, Hillary noticed that Bill was arriving later than usual, and she was getting unsettled by it. She was in a law firm herself, and she knew what late nights meant, and it wasn’t something a spouse would like. Although she herself gave permission for Bill to go out with other women, he felt he wasn’t being truthful to her. At the very least, she wanted to know what he was doing. Even though she was just a woman pretending to be his wife (who happened to take a real marriage vow), for her protection, she needed to maintain a semblance of marital fidelity within their household.

Or that was the excuse she was telling herself.

Excuse for what?

_Jealousy_ , an emotion that she didn’t have the right to feel.

In the middle of her internal turmoil, she continued wear the mask of a happy wife while she was living with Bill. Even though Bill always arrived late, she could always be found sitting in the couch, reading a book and waiting for him so she could prepare his meal. She usually ate dinner first, and she would watch him eat his dinner as he told her about his day: the annoying clients, shouting matches at meetings and prank phone calls. She loved to hear his stories, though. She missed her work life, and hearing about Bill’s day made her feel involved. Once in a while, Bill would ask her opinion on a case he had with working on with his clients. She would happily give her advice. Every damn time, her advice worked out to Bill’s favor.

“Damn, Hillary. You’re an infinitely better lawyer than I am,” Bill complimented her as he downed his water.

“Thank you,” Hillary appreciated his praise.

“If I could offer you a job at Rose, I would,” he said.

She giggled. “You’re just saying that.”

“No really! Rose will be much better if they have you as a partner!” Bill noted truthfully.

“Not in the cards, Bill, you know that,” she smiled sadly.

“Hey, speaking of which, has the FBI contacted you lately?” Bill asked curiously.

She shrugged. “The gears are grinding so slow, because the President had removed the resources from the FBI and the special counsel. I don’t think I’ll be testifying in front of the grand jury soon, but the authorities are keeping in touch with me for possible interviews. They have lots of questions to ask, apparently.”

“Do you know how long until you get to testify formally?” Bill asked. He wanted a fixed timeline so he could sort things out with her.  

Unfortunately, Hillary took it as a sign of Bill’s impatience for their arrangement. “I don’t know. But do not worry, Bill. If you want to sleep with somebody, I won’t forbid you to. Did you forget that we agreed to an open marriage?”

Bill was taken aback. “What are you talking about?”

“You don’t need to hide it from me. If you’re seeing someone, just tell me. I am totally fine with it.” In truth, she wasn’t.

Bill licked his lips, debating whether to tell his wife. But in the end, he decided to be truthful. “There’s someone I want to sleep with.”

Hillary squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the painful truth. “Who?”

“A lawyer.” Bill was stalling.

“What’s the name of the lawyer?” Hillary could not anymore sustain the agony. Of course. Rose had a lot of attractive female hotshot lawyers. Why wouldn’t Bill want to fuck any of them?

 Bill’s heart was racing. He was not sure if he could do this.

“Tell me, Bill! What is her name? I only demand your honesty, not your fidelity!”

Fine, if Hillary explicitly demanded his honesty, then she would get it.

“Hillary Clinton,” Bill muttered quietly.

The two words that emerged from Bill’s lips sounded like a string of static to her ears. Hillary must have heard him wrong. “I’m sorry?”

Bill was still hesitating, but he wanted to see this through. “Arkansas is filled with sweltering heat, yet I still feel cold. I miss the warm Hillary I met in her apartment in New York. I miss the Hillary whom I’ve shared coffee with and cooked breakfast for. I miss her a lot, and I think about her often.”

Her lips were trembling, both with emotion and affection for Bill. Bill…had feelings for her?

No, no. That was just a pipe dream. Hillary had almost forgotten that Bill’s last relationship was painful for him. Whatever Bill was saying, it must be because he missed Mia so much, and she was the closest woman available.

“I…I can’t,” Hillary pulled her chair and abruptly left the dinner table.

“Hillary!” Bill followed her. She tried to run away, but he was able to catch her before she got to the stairs.

“Let me go!” Hillary pulled her arm away from him.

“Why do you keep running away?”

“Why do you want to sleep with me?” Hillary spat back.

“Because you’re my wife,” Bill said simply.

She shook her head. “But our marriage is not  a real marriage! We just did it to keep my identity secret!”

“Then you shouldn’t have problems if I filed a divorce?”

Her eyes widened in horror. “You made a promise to me!”

“Yes, I did.”

“Then I hold you to that promise!”

“And I hold you to yours also,” Bill said calmly. “We agreed to an open relationship, but that doesn’t mean we can’t see each other.”

“But…”

“I know that you made it clear that I don’t have to go out or sleep with you, but I want to,” Bill wanted to go all the way, but he feared she would run. “It doesn’t have to be serious or anything. After all, the open relationship agreement still stands and we will still divorce soon. I…I just want to share something special with you for the short time that we will be married. That’s all I am asking.”

At that moment, Hillary realized that she was the luckiest woman on earth, married to the kindest and most loving man ever born.

She bowed and slowly unbuttoned her blouse open. As Bill realized what she was doing, he stopped her.

“No,” he said. “I want to do it properly.”

As her eyes glistened, he plunged into her, and he took her with her faculties complete, and her consent fully granted.  

* * *

Bill was kissing her.

Bill. Was. Kissing. Her.

Bill. Kissing. Her.

It took a moment for the thought to reach her brain and to settle in. So she just stood there and Bill was the one who was pushing in, closing the gap, pressing. It was Bill who wound his arms around her body and carried her into the lover’s couch.

It was Bill who kissed her until she was breathless. It was Bill who refused to let her do anything to increase his pleasure, and instead worshipped every inch of her body like the divine goddess that she was. It was Bill who covered her body with him arms protectively as he spooned behind her and plunged in and out, earning each thrust with a moan from her lips.

It was Bill who made her feel like the only woman in the world.

“Bill,” she moaned desperately.  

“What is it?” in the midst of his ecstasy, he still had a portion of himself left to care for her.

“Hold me tighter”, she pleaded.

As they succumb to the fire that threatened to consume them for so long, both knew that the bridge had been crossed, the point of no returned had long since passed. They knew that there was a hint of truth to the vow that they have taken, and for the first time since then, they were aware of the path they headed.   

Surrender was the only option left.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELP. I don't know what happened. The events in this chapter were totally unplanned but it somehow ended thay way. LOL. Anyway, I hope you liked it and as always, thanks for the feedback!


	10. Nine

Hillary found the morning sunshine directly hitting her face. The rays of light were so bright that it was blinding her. She didn't dare open her eyes as she tried to get away from the full blast of the sun. God. What time was it?

She looked down at herself and she realized that she was only wearing Bill's shirt and nothing underneath. She had vivid memories of Bill dressing her in his shirt as they finally retired after a marathon of lovemaking the previous night. Damn, the man's such a gentleman.

She got up from the couch and felt the warm body of her husband, who was still snoozing happily behind him. The bastard. He was using her as a human shield from the sun rays all along. Though she didn't mind that he was spooning her and holding her during the entire time they slept.

Wait. Was Bill still there? She looked at the clock and she saw that it was already 11. So why was he still in the house?

She gently nudged her husband awake. For the first time, she found out that he slept like a rock.

"Bill...Bill...wake up," she whispered. "It's almost noon. You have to go to work."

"I'm not going to work. I called in sick," he groaned as he pulled her back to the couch. "Com'ere, go back to sleep."

Hillary didn't budge. "Bill, the sun's up. I have to cook."

"We'll just order, or something," he snored. "I just want us to be lazy for today." In the guise of sleepiness, he brushed his fingers all over her breasts, which immediately became rock hard under his touch.

"Not, now Bill. I feel sticky," said a sweat-laden Hillary.

Bill shifted beside her as he finally opened his eyes. "You want a shower?" His devilish grin clearly told Hillary what he wanted.

Hillary pretended to think hard about Bill's proposition. She enjoyed keeping him hanging "I have to make a pros and cons list."

"You have lots of pros, Honey," Bill said. "You'll get clean, you'll take off the icky sweat, and you'll have your morning exercise. There. Multitasking," he said cheekily.

Hillary giggled as she mounted on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Carry me to the shower?”

Bill smirked. “Gladly.”

He scooped her and carried her upstairs to their private bathroom. There, he stripped her of his shirt as she pulled his pants, the only garment he wore when they slept. No surprises, he was already hard for her.

“Already?” she said cheekily.

“Only, for you, Babe,” he said.

She ran her fingers over every inch of him, trying to memorize every curve and contour. She never wanted to forget this. None of it.

Bill kissed Hillary. He kissed her as if he didn’t yesterday. He kissed her like there was no tomorrow.

Before she knew it, Hillary felt being carried again, this time inside the shower. He gently laid her on the tub and helped her stand up. Bill turned the knob and warm water sprayed into their slick bodies. Yes. The steam from the shower clouded their vision, but their hearts could clearly see what they wanted.

They wanted each other. So bad.

They wanted each other since the day they met.

And not, they got what they wanted.

A mixture of moans and groans echoed in the walls of the shower, their kisses threatening to cut off the air from their lungs. In those moments, the desire to kiss was stronger than the need to breathe, as if parting from the other’s lips was like cutting oxygen itself. Their tongues danced like two snakes battling for dominance.

“Oh, Bill,” she moaned when he broke away to draw his breath. “Come back to me.”

Sensing the desperation in her voice, he quickly resumed his lovemaking. He pushed her towards the edge of the tub, making her sit, and dived towards her center, his tongue parting her wet lips.

Hillary gasped a mouthful of air as she gripped his hair, pushing his head further towards her core.

To Bill, there was no more divine a blessing than having to eat Hillary alive. It felt like being indulged with ambrosia every time he feasted on her sweet, sweet, core. Like a ripe piece of fruit, sweet, tender and satisfying.

Deciding to be more adventurous, Bill brought his finger to her entrance and gently pushed inside, effectively fucking her with his digit. He curled a finger into her then, flashed it in and out, and she gasped. She tucked her chin, but he guided it back so they are looking at one another. She bit down on her lip and Hillary realized this might be the most intimate thing she’d ever done. He was watching it happen to her: the blossoming and tightening at the same time as his fingers quickened. He heard the gasp of breath as she feels the wave build. It was happening and she wants so badly to close her eyes, to escape into the darkness and the feelings and let them be just that: anonymous, incredible feelings like they’ve been so many times before with other men, but she forces herself to keep the gaze. It won’t just be sighs and sensations. It would be him doing this to her.

And then she wanted him with her, to come with her, more than she wanted to come at all. She pulled him to her side, never breaking their connection, wrapped her fingers around his hard shaft and began pumping. She was rewarded with a gasp and groan. They were touching each other, building each other up, without breaking that gaze. It was like an undertow and Hillary knew she won’t be able to swim against it much longer.

“In me. I want you in me,” she rasped. She pulled him towards the tub, with him on top.

"Wait, here," she said.

Hillary scrambled to put the plug in the tub so that the water would not drain, and she reached for the soap and splashed it all over the water, causing a thick layer of foam to engulf them.

"I love it," Bill said, making her kiss him.

He started to say something more, but she guided him into her, slipped him in because god she was wet, and both of them exhale as he flexed forward and settled in.

“Oh fuck,” he said and she laughed low in her throat.

Bill took over. His hips moved over hers and there is the sound of water splashing as he thrust. Hillary opened her legs as wide as she could and touched him everywhere: neck, ribs, and chest. He pumped harder and faster.

“I..wanted...to do...this...since...I...kissed you...in...your...apartment,” Bill confessed in between hard strokes.

“Oh,” was all Hillary could say.

It was amazingly hot to watch how you undo someone, Hillary thought. She watched it happen to him: the way his pupils dilated, the sweat on his brow, the low, rasping breath, and clasping hands. She was doing that to him.

Her.

Only her.

They peaked together. Bill trembled. The wave inside Hillary crested. And she felt herself shooting outward in a million directions, every direction, unspooling and unraveling. She felt her body shutting up, truncating the orgasm, and curling away from him.

“Hillary, finish for me baby,” he said, “finish.” And his thumb was there, stroking her so lightly that it was like waving her hand over a flame. She could feel it but if she got any closer she might be burned,“Let go and finish,” he hovered his lips over hers, “I’m not going anywhere.”

And that is what she needed.  
  
She let herself go, relaxed her muscles, and let him stroke her until she comes. Hillary let herself buck against his hand, grip his shoulders, and bury her face in his chest. She allowed him to see her like that, completely exposed and needy, taking, clutching and desperate. And as she was coming down from it, her eyes still pressed so tight she sees stars, he captures her hand and kissed the ridge of every knuckle.

* * *

The next few weeks of their marriage was a lot better than the first few ones. Late breakfasts, late dinners and weekly hikes in the parks decorated their busy weeks. Steadily, they regained their usual rapport and developed it into something for. For the first time since Hillary decided to take on the President of the United States and probably the most powerful man on Earth, she felt brave. With Bill on her side, she felt she could take on anything.  


Even dying for her country.

It was amazing, really.

But being a plain housewife left a hole in her heart. While she was happy being with Bill, she wanted her old life back. She wanted to go out and talk to people and help them. She wanted her talents to be used in a proper way, in a way that would help make lives better. Helping people was in her DNA. She never missed an opportunity to help. In fact, she extended her law school stint so that she could work for the Children’s Defense Fund. Working with Marian was one of the best times in her life. In she could have the opportunity to work for a nonprofit for the rest of her life, she would.

And that was why Hillary grabbed the chance to work at the day care center that was being run by their local church. The day care center catered poor and working class parents who didn’t have the money to pay for childcare while they work. Because it was being funded by wealthy churchgoers, the center could even provide free lunches for the kids and a decent wage for the staff. Seeing it as an opportunity to help Bill and to profess her advocacy, Hillary decided to sign up.

When Bill found about the work during their dinner, Bill kissed her forehead. “You don’t have to work, Baby.”

“Given what I see from your paycheck, I don’t” she laughed, “but I still want to. It’s my way to support us a little and my chance to do something that I wasn’t able to in New York.”

Bill quirked an eyebrow. She realized that she hadn’t told him about her desire for charity work.

“Oh, I see!” said Bill when Hillary finished telling him. “If that’s the case, then I think it’s a great idea. I know the kids will love you, Hill. You seem to have a soft spot for them.”

Hillary blushed. “I do. And I look forward to having one of my own.”

Hillary was having too much fun to realize what she just said. Bill slightly shifted in her seat, trying not to groan.

If Bill would have to be honest with himself, he would have flown them to the best fertility doctor and have them both checked. He wanted to have a baby too, and in his wildest dreams, he wanted her to be the mother of his child. Of all of his children. If he had his way, he would have wanted her to break her ties to the FBI so that she could stay here in Arkansas. God. Why did they have to be stuck in this unfortunate situation?

Hillary noticed that will was suddenly silent. “Is there something wrong, Honey?”

“Hyperacidity,” Bill rubbed his stomach and pretended to wince in pain. “Must be the lemonade I had earlier.”

“Hold on, I’ll get you some meds,” Hillary immediately got up from her seat and rushed towards the bathroom for the first aid kit.

Seconds later, she returned with an antacid at hand. “Here, drink this.”

“Thanks, Baby,” he took the antacid and downed it with his water. He just hoped that nothing bad would happen if he drank an antacid for no reason.

“Welcome, Honey,” Hillary returned to her plate. “Just tell me if you want some belly rubs, okay?” she winked.

“Alright,” Bill could not stop grinning.

And why would he? He had the best fucking wife to walk in the face of the planet! Like, who could ever match her brains, her beauty, and her talent in the bedroom? What else could he, a husband, ask for?

A permanent marriage. That’s it. That’s the one he would ask for.

* * *

Hillary excitedly walked along the halls of the day care center on her first day on the job. She just finished her orientation with the head of the center, Mrs. Robinson, and she was thrilled with the activities that she was about to do with the kids.  


That day, she would be handling a class of ten kids. Since she was new, she would be having a partner who would train her during her first month and then she would be left alone to supervise the kids herself. She was told that her partner was formerly a public school teacher who left the formal academia and decided to work for the center. She was particularly intrigued by the background of this teacher, only because he reminded her of someone she knew well.

As she entered the classroom, she found a young female assistant who was helping the kids place their things in the cubby holes.

“Hi,” Hillary greeted the assistant. “I am the new...”

“Teacher?” the assistant finished her sentence for her. “I’ve been told. My name is Kara,” the assistance extended her hand to Hillary and shook it.

“Hi Kara, I’m Hillary. Nice to meet you,” Hillary replied. “I think there is someone who would supervise me on the first month?”

“Oh yes!” Kara slapped her forehead. “I don’t know who it is, though. Nobody told me who is supposed to supervise you. I think they should be here by now. But we can start now so we won’t waste time. Maybe we can start with the introductions and the prayers?”

“Sure,” Hillary followed Kara in front.

Kara pulled Hillary front and center, and they calmed down the roaring kids. It wasn’t easy, but Hillary was built for it. After all, she spent a lot of time with kids during law school.

“Settle down, settle down. Now, we shall first start with a prayer. Who is the prayer leader for today?”

The class pointed to the quiet little girl with brown bushy hair at the back of the room.

“Oh, it’s Chelsea. Come one, Chelsea.” Kara encouraged the girl.

Chelsea simply looked down, refusing to go forward.

“Chelsea, it’s your turn. Don’t be shy, we can’t start classes without you,” Kara said.

Chelsea didn’t budge.

Hillary felt bad for the kid, who was clearly having self-confidence issues, so she decided to approach the girl and stooped down to her height.

“Hi, I’m Hillary. You are Chelsea, right?”

The girl nodded.

“It’s your turn to pray, Chelsea.”

Chelsea ignored her. She just played her with nails as Hillary waited for her to come forward.

“Are you hungry, Chelsea?” Hillary asked.

The girl shook her head.

“Are you sick? Or sleepy?”

She shook her head again.

“Then why are you sad?” Hillary lifted Chelsea’s chin up to that their eyes were level.

“Because my grandma hit me with a broomstick,” she whispered.

Oh. Hillary didn’t expect that her heart would break on the first day. “Kara, can we ask someone else? Chelsea is cannot lead the prayers today.”

Kara nodded in front and asked another boy to lead. As they prayed, Hillary knelt beside Chelsea and accompanied her and whispered the words to her as they recited the prayer. It became clear to Hillary that Chelsea hadn’t memorized the prayer too.

When the prayers were done, Hillary went back in front and started the first activity with Kara. As they went along, Chelsea remained front and center in Hillary’s thought. The girl was silent, and she felt that she was used to being ignored – by her family, her classmates, her playmates, her teachers. The poor girl.

At the end of the activity, the kids were all excited and bouncing around, except for Chelsea. She was just sitting and coloring her book as the others grabbed toys from the toy box and started to play.

Just as when Hillary was to approach Chelsea, she felt a small pat from Kara.

“Your partner teacher is here,” she whispered.

“Thanks.”

Hillary turned around towards the doorway. If she had known what was coming to her, she probably wouldn’t have, because, for the first time in five years, she saw the face that broke her heart and left an ugly scar on her soul that probably would never heal.

She saw Robert, standing by the doorway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yaaay! I made it! I had so much work this week and I spent today training my new staff (yay first time boss!) so I probably won't have so much time so squeeze in some writing (boooo bad boss LOL). 
> 
> I hope you like this chapter. Some smut and drama. As always, thanks for the feedback!


	11. Ten

Hillary sat on the dinner table, staring into the blank space, as Bill happily narrated how he secured one of the biggest clients in his career. Inserting an occasional smile, a nod and “and then what happened?” she pretended to give a slightest damn on what Bill was blabbing about. She pulled up the facade of a carefree, happy wife in front of her husband as a terrible storm raged inside her. An oblivious Bill was too engrossed with his story to notice that his wife was in the midst of an emotional breakdown.

It wasn’t his fault, though. If anything, it was Hillary’s. After all, it wasn’t him who kissed an ex a few hours ago just because that said ex suddenly showed up at work.

It wasn’t Bill’s fault that Hillary wasn’t still over Robert leaving her at their wedding and that she was his harboring feelings for the guy. 

It was supposed to be an exciting day for Hillary: her first day in the day care center, meeting and playing with the kids, then going home to bake a peach pie for Bill. But all of Hillary’s expectations were suddenly thrown out of the window when Robert, her ex-fiancé, turned up as the supervising teacher at the day care. Why was it that nobody had warned her that Robert would be there? Had she known that he had relocated to Little Rock and would be teaching in a church-run day care, she would not have applied for the job, or to choose Little Rock, even though there was Bill insisting that she live with him. Her imperative to stay away from Robert was greater than her necessity to live with Bill. After all, there were still San Diego and Milwaukee to choose from. Why, of all places, did Robert choose to live in Little Rock?

Whatever his reason was, she did not have the opportunity to ask when Robert invited her to an empty classroom when after the kids were sent home. Hillary foolishly followed him.

“Hill,” Robert said, the affection dripping in his voice, “it’s been a while. How have you been?” 

“I’m alright,” was all Hillary could say. Ever since she saw Robert in the doorway, the rational part of her brain had ceased its ability to function. “How about you?”

Hillary realized later on that casually asking him how he had been was not the best idea. She should have quickly ended the conversation.

Robert licked his lips. “I...I am teaching here for two years now. My wife lives here so I followed her. What about you? What brings you here?”

“Same. My husband grew up in here. He just got fired in his job in New York and he was offered one in here so he relocated,” she said, her eyes dared not to look at his.

“What about your practice in New York? What happened to it? And why are you teaching at a day care? You have a brilliant legal career ahead of you,” Robert said, trying to catch her eyes.

Of course, Robert didn’t know about her deal with the FBI. “I love my husband. He’s kinda traditional and he didn’t want me to work so I let him provide for us both. I am still adjusting but I believe we can work it out.”

It occurred to her that it was the first time that she declared that she loved Bill. It left a sweet aftertaste in her mouth, but she didn’t let Robert see that.

“I see,” Robert didn’t bother hiding the hurt in his eyes when she mentioned that she loved her husband. “How do you find Arkansas so far?”

Hillary was relieved and thankful that he was trying to keep the conversation casual. “It’s not New York. I mean, it doesn’t have the excitement New York has, but I love the peace and quiet that I don’t get to experience in NYC. Plus, I relish the larger housing space,” she joked.

Robert laughed. “Yeah. And the cost of living is much lower too. You can already amortize a house in here for the same amount of rent in New York.”

“I know. I miss my apartment, though. I miss the roof access,” she smiled for the first time, finally meeting his eyes.

“Oh, I love your apartment too. Always clean,” Robert fondly recalled.

“That’s because you don’t know how to clean up for yourself,” she playfully hit him.

“I know. But now I do! Apparently, that’s a marriage requirement,” Robert said. “My wife was always yelling at me during the early days of our marriage.”

"I am sorry that you learned the hard way,” she giggled.

“Ha! But in all seriousness, I miss your apartment. It was such a bargain.”

“Same here. I was lucky that I was able to rent it at that price.”

“I know. But you know that one thing that I miss in your apartment?”

“What’s that?” Hillary asked, blissfully unaware for what was to be revealed.

“The countless times we made love in your apartment,” he said, his eyes conveying the truth of his words.

Hillary froze. Robert tracked her cheek with his finger. She was too stunned and confused to brush his hand away from her face.

“I regret the day that I did not marry you,” he said. “I should have walked the altar that day. No one had been able to make my heart beat a million miles per second like you do.”

Hillary’s breath got caught in her throat. For years, she had been waiting him say that, the closure and the vindication that she had been craving for. It was five years late, but nevertheless, it came.

“Hillary, please say something,” Robert begged.

“I-I...” Hillary was too disoriented to speak.

Robert cupped her face with both of her hands. “I didn’t expect to see you here, but somehow, it’s God’s will that we meet again. You have grown more beautiful since the last time I saw you.”

Still nothing from Hillary but an intense stare.

Robert removed his right hand from her face and rested it on her heart. “I could feel your heart beating wildly in your chest,” he said, and that was true. Indeed, her heart was beating like mad.

“I miss you, Hillary. I hope you missed me too,” he said.

Finally, Hillary responded. She responded by tipping her toes and catching his lips in a hot, desperate kiss. At first, Robert was caught unaware by her gesture, but he was quick in his feet. He responded with an equal intensity, an intensity that had been brewing for five whole years. Their hands had their minds of their own, crawling up and down from their neck down to their rear bottom, cupping and pressing their cheeks. Their tongues missed each other so much that they took their time remembering how they battled for dominance, like in the old days.

In the middle of their heated kiss, suddenly, an image flashed on her mind. It was that of Bill, carrying her naked in his arms, gently depositing her in their marital bed, tenderly kissing her and kneading her breasts like a large cat. Bill, who was very gentle to her and always made sure she came first before attending to her own needs.

Bill, who had generously opened his home and his heart to her so that he could protect her from the Russians who might want to kill her.

Bill, whom she had an open marriage agreement and whom she promised to be truthful always.

Bill, who was trying to catch her attention on the dinner table when he was asking her how her day went.

“Huh? Me?” Hillary blinked.

“Who else, silly!” Bill chuckled. “How was your first day in day care?” He looked like he was super excited to to hear about her first day.

“Oh,” Hillary said, “my first day was alright,” it was a total lie. “The work was easy, and the kids were total sweethearts.”

“Did any of them fight?” Bill yearned to hear more.

“The teaching aide says the kids behave whenever a new teacher is in,” Hillary replied, trying very hard to breathe normally, “but after a while, they’ll show their true colors.”

Bill squeezed her shoulder, “I am sure Mrs. Clinton can take care of the bratty kids!”

Hillary appreciated the vote of confidence. “Ha! I can.”

Bill, who had an undeniable look of desire in his face, whispered in her ear, “Uhm…can we hurry up with the dinner? I can’t wait for dessert.”

Hillary too could not wait for dinner to end, just so that the conversations would end too and that she could shove the memory of her culpability at the back of her head. But her husband’s desire for her gave her an opening to lessen the weight of the guilt that she was feeling.

In the bedroom, Hillary pulled Bill towards the bed and kissed him with an intensity that almost made Bill forget to breathe. He never remembered her to be this wanting. He wasn’t complaining, though. That’s what he liked about her – fiery, passionate and dominant.

“Baby, slow down,” Bill chuckled.

With what she had done today, Hillary had every imperative to please him as much as she could, and that’s exactly what she did. While in the middle of their kiss, Hillary’s finger sneakily pinched his nipple, causing her to sigh against her mouth and to break away from the kiss.

“Honey,” he smiled, “you’re too much.”

She plastered a fake smile, pretending that she was enjoying herself, and said, “All for you, Babe.” That last sentence was true, thought. Tonight was all for Bill alone.

And indeed, it was. She could already feel his hardness growing in his pants and rubbing off against her center. She, not for her own needs, gyrated her hips to tease him and drive him crazy. And it did work. She could almost hear his cock screaming to get out of his pants and briefs.

She did listen to its protestations. She snuck her hand in between them and pulled his belt and tossed it on the side. She frantically unzipped his pants and pulled his pants in one fell swoop, freeing his cock from the agonizing restraint. She pushed him a little to make room for herself and then she pulled her blouse and her bra in one go, exposing her pert breasts, each peak pointing in the direction of the man whom she had vowed devotion to.

Bill already removed his shirt and was now working on freeing her from her pants. His heart was beating faster than when he had run a marathon. He wanted her. Needed her, even. When she was already completely naked under him, he planned on going down on her and making her come with his mouth, but Hillary was quicker. She pulled him towards her and she positioned her face just right below his crotch. Without warning, he opened her mouth and sucked Bill, hollowing her cheeks and producing popping sounds as she drew and slurped all around his rock hard shaft.

“Oh…oh…shit…” was the only train of coherent words he was able to let out.

She sucked him. She licked him. She savored him. She pleasured her like she had never done before. And in no time, Bill felt like he would already lose it.

“Baby, stop,” he said as he drew his breath. “I won’t last long.”

Good. Because that was her plan all along: to make him come as fast as she could. To drive him so crazy that it would compensate for the fact that she had betrayed his trust. They had an agreement, one that of honesty. They didn’t need to be faithful. They just needed to be honest. In fact, she demanded him the same weeks ago, but somehow, it was her who could not fulfill her promise. She could not tell him about Robert and her past. No, she could not. She…she cared about being in Bill’s good graces so much that she could not let him know that he married a weak woman who still hadn’t gotten over her fiancé leaving her at the church five years ago.

A weak woman who couldn’t decide her feelings for her husband and for the man who left her.

Hillary withdrew her mouth from his cock and wet her fingers with her tongue. She then wet her chest with the fingers that were coated with her spit. Bill was about to move backwards but he stopped him.

“What is it, Honey?” asked Bill.

Hillary smirked. “You’ll see.”

She pushed herself towards the headboard so that his cock was directly above her chest. She took his cock on her hand and positioned it on her cleavage. She pressed her each side of her boobs so that his cock was enveloped in the valley of her plump breasts. 

“Move, Honey,” she said. “Feel my breasts.”

Drowning in the eroticism of her actions, Bill snapped from his trance and did what he was told. Unsure of himself, he thrusted into her breasts, and felt a strange pleasure in in fucking her this way. He had his fair share of sexual encounters, yet no woman had chosen to please him in such manner. That was not to say that he didn’t like. In fact, he did.

He had never felt more intimate with Hillary.

Ironic, really, since she had an entire world to hide from him.

But either way, it spurred him on like no other.

Embarking into this unfamiliar territory with her robbed him of coherent thought.  He had forgotten about his duty to pleasure her, which unbeknownst to him was her intention all along. With his head thrown back, he thrusted in and out of the valley of her breasts as she closed her eyes. Her mouth was agape and moans escaped from her lips to help him reach his peak. And after a series of frenzied thrusts, he felt himself tighten, ready to explode into her. When the moment came, he pulled out of her breasts and watched as his cum landed on her chest, her neck and chin. He stared for a moment, taking her in, needing to memorize this moment forever, sure that there's nothing more beautiful than seeing his wife covered in his cum. It made him want to get his camera, so he can capture the moment. Instead, he wiped the bit on her chin with his thumb and pushes it into her mouth, making her suck it off.

Wow. She looked so beautiful.

And she was his. All his.

As she moaned when she sucked her finger, it occurred to him that she was yet to be satisfied.

Oh shit.

“Honey,” he said, his face in horror, “I am so sorry! I-I couldn’t help myself.”

Hillary smiled as she pulled him towards her and kissed him. “It’s alright, Honey.”

“Let me make it up to you,” he breathed in her ear, his voice still husky with lust. His hand was already crawling towards her wet center.

She shook her head. “No, Bill. I just want to cuddle.”  She was still frustrated, but Bill was more important than her satisfaction.

"B-but, what about you?”

She nibbled his ear. “Clean me up and then let’s cuddle. I want you to hold me.”

Bill obliged his wife. “Alright.”

When Bill left the bed to get a towel, Hillary felt relief surge in her veins. At the very least, she was able to so some sort of penance for kissing Robert. She wanted Bill terribly, and it took every cell in her body to resist his touch. She did not deserve to have him, at least on that day. She just had to make sure that she would never repeat what she did with Robert

She just hoped that she could trust herself not to make the same mistake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, flu and writer'd block happened :( But I hope you all like this chapter. I promise I'll be faster in updates, now that I have two non-working holidays in the next two weeks (abd my birthday too LOL)
> 
> As always, thanks for the feedback!


	12. Eleven

Hillary's guilt for kissing Robert accumulated over the next few weeks. She never got the courage to tell Bill about Robert about their past and their - ahem - present. Sure, the open marriage agreement was still in place, but Hillary had the feeling that she would rock their boat if Bill knew. She had Bill's permission to see other men, but somehow, it didn't feel right. The only thing that kept her sane in the midst of the guilt that ate her alive was the idea that Bill was probably seeing other women behind her back too. Ever since they started sleeping, Bill still arrived late from the office. Hillary's speculation of him fucking another woman wasn't tempered even with his efforts to become affectionate to her. So, no hard feelings, right? 

Except that even with Robert actively trying to pursue her, she still felt a pang of jealousy at the thought of Bill pursuing other women. Perhaps another woman that he would marry the moment their divorce was finalized. Either way, Hillary had no right to be jealous and mark Bill as her own. Still, she was.  But as long as she kept her jealousy to herself, Hillary thought, everything would be fine.

One day, class was suspended because the pipes in the day care center leaked. Incidentally, she had received communication from the special counsel saying that she needed to fly back to DC to testify in front of a grand jury. Apparently, the FBI turned over some of their investigation to the special counsel and the documents she turned over to the feds were now in the special counsel's possession too. Based on the communication, it seemed that the special counsel was very much interested in what she had to say. She would be gone for two weeks for DC, and she would have to file a leave of absence from the day care.

That day, Hillary was cooking lunch for herself when she heard a faint knock on the door. Hmmm. Who could that be?

Hillary hurried to open the door. She almost choked when her eyes landed on Robert, who was on her doorstep, carrying a bouquet of flowers.

"Hi Hillary," Robert greeted her bashfully.

"Hi," was her reply, just because it was the appropriate response.

"I have flowers for you," Robert handed her the bouquet. "Hydrangeas. Your favorite."

Truth be told, Hillary did not want to accept his gift, as it would mean that she would have to invite her inside the house. But rejecting him right then and there would be too cruel. For a while, she debated what to do with him. And in the end, she managed to strike a middle ground: she would invite him inside but she would fake a trip to the supermarket just so he would be forced to leave.

“Thanks,” Hillary accepted the flowers from Robert and pretended to smell it. “Come in, come in.”

Robert happily followed her inside the house, where she offered the couch to him and prepared coffee for him, done in the way he had always liked.

“So, what brings you here?” Hillary said as she laid the coffee on the table. She placed the bouquet there too.

“There’s no class, and I miss you,” Robert confessed casually. “I miss seeing your beautiful blue eyes.”

“Careful, Robert. I am married.” Hillary joked. But in truth, she meant it.

“We’re not doing anything, don’t worry,” Robert tried to dismiss her concerns. “We’re just..ah…friends.”

“Friends do not blush when they bring flowers,” Hillary said, sitting on the other end of the couch where Robert sat. She was treading on dangerous waters.

“Oh really,” Robert was delighted that she was playing along. He scooted a bit closer to her. Hillary moved in the same direction but she hit the arm of the couch. “Well, friends visit each other, right?”

“I guess so,” Hillary bit her lip. Damn. Robert’s charms were ensnaring her. Nevermind that broke her heart, ruined what supposed to her happiest day and married someone else. He was still the bright, attractive charming man that she had fallen for.  

“Good. So there’s no harm in what we’re doing.” Robert could tell that Hillary was uncomfortable. As the one whom she loved and who loved her the longest, he knew how to assuage her fears. He moved closer to her and rubbed her back gently. He could feel her tension melt away underneath his loving fingers. Both of them could feel the desire slowing brewing between them. Their breaths slowed down and deepened. Their heartbeats raced. Their minds shut down. 

Damn. He knew her very well. Perhaps too well.

Hillary closed her eyes. She was gradually enjoying Robert's touches. She arched her back and bit her lip, and a moan inevitably escaped from her lips. Robert, on the other hand, was awed with her reaction to his ministrations. His hands were creeping from her back and on to her waists. She did not resist his expanded exploration of her body. In fact, she was agonizing at his slow pace. Faster, faster, faster, please.

In the midst of her ecstasy, the image of Bill lovingly rubbing her back on their marital bed, with her laying on her stomach naked, flashed inside her head like lightning striking a tree. And like lightning, it quickly spread fire. Suddenly, Robert's touches quickly felt like a hot metal touching her bare skin, eating her flesh. She felt like she was burned and she jumped and covered herself from Robert's body.

"What's wrong?" asked a confused Robert.

Hillary's eyes were wide with shock and confusion. "I think you  need to go, Robert."

"Why? You are clearly enjoying it." He reasoned.

"No," she shook her head, unblinking. "Whatever I feel, it's irrelevant.

"Why are you fighting us? You clearly still have feelings for me. And I to you. I am sorry that I left you years ago, but I was weak and confused then. But now, I am ready to leave everything for you," Robert cupped her face with his palms.

"I would be lying if I didn't dream hearing you say that," Hillary confessed silently. "But I can't."

"Then why?" Robert begged for answers. "Please, I need to know. I want to make it all up to you. Just say the word, Hillary."

Robert was making it hard for her to resist. For five years, she had craved for this. His apology. His humility. His imploring. And then Bill came. For the first time, even in fleeting moments, she had forgotten that she was once a bride abandoned at her wedding day. Whenever she was with Bill, she felt like she was the most beautiful woman on Earth. If only she wasn't about to go into hiding in a few months and she didn't marry out of necessity, she would have stayed with Bill for good.

But now with Robert back in her life, she wasn't completely sure.

"Please Hillary," Robert's voice snapped her from her thoughts.

"I-I..."

Hillary felt herself inching closer towards Robert. She could feel his breath on her lips, warmer and warmer at every inch. Her eyes fell down to his lips and back up to his eyes.

Whatever it was she was feeling, she could not control it any longer.

* * *

Bill stepped on the gas, silently cursing at the car that tried to cut him. Fuck you. He needed to race home because he had left his flash drive that he needed for a presentation. Because of the intense lovemaking he and Hillary had last night, he had forgotten to properly arrange his laptop bag. As a result, he left the flash drive in his working desk in their bedroom.

When he pulled over in front of their house, he was surprised to find the mailbox empty. Normally, when he sometimes dash home from work unexpectedly, he found the mailbox full since it was Hillary who always got the mail inside.  

"Shit," Bill cursed again when he realized that his house key wasn't in his pocket. He looked all over his personage, his bag and the car dashboard. Still no key. He leaned over to the side and saw the key sitting on the floor of the car, just beside the gear. Whew. Bill breathed in relief.

Finally with the key on hand, he rushed towards the door.

* * *

"Hillary," Robert sighed, his face closing into hers.

"Robert-"

Their lips were close. They were very very close.

Just as they were about to touch, the sound of the door opening  and Bill hollering, "Hillary! Honey, are you here?" broke their trance. Hillary pushed Robert away from her, as if doing so would lessen her culpability, but he didn't move. He instead shielded her from the man that was actually her husband.

Bill was rooted on the spot, shocked and hurt by what he had just witnessed. He couldn't believe it. He just couldn't believe it. Was...was Hillary about to kiss another man?

Bill's initial shock turned into rage, a rage that he couldn't control. He had always been a jealous man, and this was no exception. How could Hillary do this to him? He - he who had chosen to remain faithful despite their open marriage agreement - had just been betrayed by his wife, whom he thought had harbored enough feelings for him to remain faithful as well.

Unable to take the scene in front of him anymore, Bill charged towards the man who was separating him from Hillary and angrily gripped his collar, almost tearing the latter's shirt. Bill pulled the man into standing up and his face was mere inches away from him. 

"What the fuck are you doing with my wife?" Bill grunted in between his teeth. The veins in his temple started protruding,

"I love Hillary," Robert grunted defiantly. "And Hillary loves me."

Hillary was weeping behind the two men. She stood up and tried to break the two apart, but to no avail.

"Please, you two! Stop it!" Hillary begged, sobbing.

"Hillary doesn't love you," Bill refused to believe Robert.

"She loves me. I had proposed marriage to her five years ago, and she happily accepted," Robert fired back. "I was weak. I was confused then. But now, I am more certain than ever. I am willing to leave everything for her - including my wife."

"She doesn't!" Bill insisted, still in disbelief.

"She does!"

Please, I am begging you both, stop it!" Hillary pleaded once more.

“Why don’t you give her up now?” Robert taunted Bill. “I have been in her life longer than you have.”

“Because I love her!” Bill declared with absolute conviction, his voice beginning to quiver..His grip on Robert’s shirt was so tight that his palms were about to bleed.

Hillary’s heart just stopped.

_He...he loved her?_

He felt it too?

“No,” Hillary gasped. “Please...please don’t say that.”

“See! Clearly she doesn’t want you Clinton!” Robert jeered.

"No, I didn’t mean that-”

“Get the fuck out my house-” Bill’s voice was becoming more and more sinister that Hillary herself was frightened.

“Not without Hillary,” Robert remained defiant.

“No, Robert-”

“But Hillary-”

“No, Robert,” it was Hillary’s turn to put her foot down.

Robert was in disbelief. “But Hillary....”

“Robert, please... “

“I won’t leave until I have you, Hillary,” Robert begged, sounding defeated.

“No, please don’t make it harder for you. For me,” she said.

“She said no, ass. So do as she says, or else I will beat the shit out of you,” Bill threatened.

“Please, Robert,” Hillary added, pulling him away from Bill. “Go home.”

Bill loosened his grip, and Robert begrudgingly walked way.

But not before turning back and then punching Bill in the nose, causing a massive amount of blood to come out of the latter’s nose. Bill was so dazed from the impact that he knelt on the floor. Hillary, horrified by what Robert just did, rushed to her husband’s aid.

“Bill, are you alright?” Hillary cried, panic rising in her chest.

Despite the difficulty of breathing due to the vast amount of blood trickling from his nose, Bill managed to stand up and punched Robert back, this time his stomach. The impact of his punch caused Robert to spit some blood from his mouth.

“Bill, stop it!” Hillary was pulling Bill away, but he was too large and too strong for her.

“I WILL KILL YOU, YOU BASTARD!” Bill screamed as he swiped Robert with his long arms. Robert manages to evade Bill, but he knocked the bouquet that was placed on the coffee table.

“NOT BEFORE I KILL YOU FIRST!” Robert was about to land a punch on Bill, aiming for his stomach, but unexpectedly, Hillary shielded Bill, and she was it on her back.

“Hillary!” Robert was horrified with that he just did.

“YOU WILL FUCKING PAY FOR THAT!” Bill’s rage was uncontrollable. In to time, his hand was already in Robert’s neck and he was strangling the man, almost taking the life out of him.

“Bill, please,” Hillary coughed. “I beg you! Stop it! You’ll get yourself into trouble!”

It was only because Hillary’s pleading made logical sense that Bill let go of Robert, who was coughing and gasping for air. He let the man regain his composure before ordering the man, “Leave my house, you fucker.”

Clearly on the losing side, Robert stood up and left the Clinton residence, throwing dirty looks at Bill and Hillary.

“Hillary...clearly you made your choice,” Robert snarled one last time before he closed the door.

In the midst of the immense pain in her back, Hillary was relieved and thankful that Robert was finally gone. However, she had a bigger problem at hand.

Bill was furious at her.

She quickly attended to Bill’s bleeding nose, but he swatted her hand away. She winced at his deliberate dismissal of her. _I deserved it_ , she thought. Still, she wanted to take care of Bill. She rushed to him, who was now sitting on the couch, and tried to pinch his nose to stop the bleeding.

“Get off me,” he said.

“But you’re still bleeding,” she whimpered.

There both knew that something was bleeding worse than his nose, and Hillary knew that she couldn’t stop it.

In fact, hers was bleeding too.

At first, it was only blood that was trickling down in his face. Later on, the tears joined the blood, and it was an apt representation of their feelings: the heart bleeding and crying.

And Hillary blamed herself for it.

“It hurts so much, Hillary,” Bill wept. “I know we had an arrangement, but fuck, it hurt more than I could ever imagine. Hell, it hurt more than Mia.”

“I am so sorry,” Hillary begged for forgiveness. “If I had known what you feel about me...”

“You knew, Hillary,” Bill declared, his gaze afar. “I know you knew. I knew you felt it.”

“But we’re going to divorce anyway...” Hillary kicked herself for saying that.

“I know,” Bill said as he stood up and left for their bedroom. “And I think you just made it a lot easier.”  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the late update! I am working on a new fic (whew I haz no self control) and I am working on teaching as a substitute professor for my friend (poor students, LOL). Anyway, I will be posting the final chapter of The Eagle and the Evergreen real soon and things will be back to normal.
> 
> And to all who greeted me on my birthday: Thank you!


	13. Twelve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the late update huhuhuhu

Hillary walked out of the room, mentally and emotionally exhausted. It was the day the President’s defense attorneys were supposed to cross-examine her, and she was subjected to a brutal 11-hour questioning. The presiding judge herself was ready to declare a recess five hours in, but the defense would not yield. Hillary was aware of their strategy: they would try to tire her and break her with exhaustion until she slipped. But alas, she was resilient. She carried herself well. Despite the barrage of character attacks on her in front of the judge and the grand jury, she was able to hold on. The prosecutors and the FBI could not have been happier with her performance. In fact, they were so happy were going to treat her to dinner that night, but she refused point blank. She was tired, and she needed time to herself.

It had been a week since Bill caught her with Robert inside their house, and their relationship had gone into a downward spiral. What used to be an affectionate relationship turned sour overnight and right now, it’s as if they barely knew each other. They were like roommates under the same roof but occupying a different part of the house. Bill kicked himself out of their bedroom and chose to sleep at the couch, while a guilt-ridden Hillary slept on their bed. Unbeknownst to Bill, she was crying herself to sleep, if she had managed to sleep at all.

Before she left for, Bill pulled her to the living room for a serious talk to clear some of the air around them. She had apologized again and again for breaking his heart, but he wasn't sure if he could forgive him. Hillary knew that, of course, and she was willing to give him time and space that he needed. But what surprised her more was his declaration: he intended to file a divorce earlier than what they had agreed upon. Hillary wasn't surprised at all, but his declaration cut through her heart like a knife. It took every ounce of her will not to cry in front of him, but she failed miserably. But even with the rift between them, Bill's care for him triumphed over his pain. Sitting on the opposite end of the couch, Bill scooted closer to her and let her cry on his chest. She was inconsolable, but somehow, being with Bill eased some of the pain. It wasn't enough to make her feel alright, but she was still grateful.

Now in her hotel room, Hillary opened the small fridge and took out the box of leftover pizza that she bought the day before. She was not in a mood to eat much. She simply needed some nourishment and then she would probably catch up on some sleep. She promised herself not to think about Bill for tonight, and instead get some much-needed rest. She deserved it, especially after the exhausting day that she just had. She would probably take a tour of DC tomorrow, just so she wouldn't stay at the hotel all day and then fly back to Arkansas the day after.

Hillary was on her second slice of pizza when she heard someone knock on the door.

Hillary, already in her PJ's, straightened up her clothes and opened the door for the unexpected visitor.

"Hi," Agent Cindy Delaney sheepishly greeted Hillary as the latter opened the door.

"Oh, hi," Hillary gulped. The presence of Delaney suddenly stoked fears within her. "Is there something wrong?"

"Oh, not at all," Delaney brushed off Hillary's concerns. "I am just checking on you. Is it a bad time?"

"Oh no, not at all," Hillary opened the door for Delaney, who was carrying a paper bag. Delaney put down the paper bag on top of the fridge and took out a something that was wrapped in foil and an entire apple pie.

"I felt guilty that you weren't in the dinner," said Delaney, "so I bought some food for you here.|

"Thanks," Hillary's eyes darted to the mouth-watering meal. "Take a slice of pie, please. I would be happy to share it with you."

"No, no, it's okay," Delaney politely refused Hillary's offer as she sat on the edge of the bed. "I won't be long. I just want to check on you."

"Oh," Hillary sat in front of Delaney and pulled a pillow towards her. "I'm exhausted from the testimony. The defense attorneys were good but they didn't land any punches. We're lawyers, you and I. We know the tactics."

In a move that completely took Hillary aback, Delaney held her hand like a dear friend, her eyes sympathetic. "I am glad that you were unscathed from the testimony. But I wasn't talking about the trial. I was talking about you and Bill."

Hillary froze. It didn't escape Delaney's notice.

"I hit a nerve, didn't I?" Delaney said apologetically.

"Can't say you didn't," Hillary replied regretfully.

Delaney sighed. "It's just that Bill called us yesterday that he was filing for divorce. It caught us all by surprise. I mean, he had every right to do so but we were all stunned that he would ask for divorce at this early stage in your marriage. I mean, we all know that your marriage isn't supposed to last long but, why can't he wait until you leave for another location?

"Because I was a cheating scum," Hillary's tears fell as she looked away from the agent.

"Sorry, I don't follow...?" Delaney's eyes squinted. "Did...what...how did it happen?" The agent struggled to form a coherent question.

"We had a open marriage agreement," Hillary told Delaney. It was the first time that an person outside of their marriage had heard of it. "I proposed that because I thought it would be unfair for him to be tied to me even though we both knew our marriage is a sham. We could date anyone we wanted to as long as the other person knew who it was. But even if we had such arrangement, we were still sleeping together. Nothing too deep. Sex. Just sex."

Delaney bit her lip. What she heard definitely could spell out trouble.

"A few weeks ago, I met my ex-fiancé at work. He left me on our wedding day and for some goddamn reason, he shows up in Little Rock on the same place that I work in. He tried to pursue me since then, saying that he still loves me and not marrying me was the greatest mistake of his life. He told me he was ready to leave his wife for me. I was so enticed to him. I couldn't resist. Until Bill caught us kissing inside the house."

Delaney's eyes were wide as saucers.

"Bill punched my ex and threw him out of the house. He was totally devastated. I was surprised that he reacted like that. I thought that he was overreacting over my indiscretion. But then he declared openly that he loved me. How could have I missed that?"

"Oh, honey..." Delaney stroked Hillary's hair as the latter cried on the pillow. "He loved you way before that."

"What do you mean?"

"The day you got married...Adam and I saw how lovestruck he was. I myself was hesitant to allow you to live with Bill because I don't trust him. But damn, I was so wrong. He was willing to go the extra mile just for you."

"And I was too blind to see that!" Hillary sobbed harder against the pillow. "I thought he didn't want me. Just like Robert on the day we were supposed to marry."

"But honey," Delaney rubbed Hillary's back, "He already married you. Or didn't you realize that?"

"No," Hillary wept. "Not until recently. I kept dwelling on the fact that someone left me at the altar when somebody already had taken me there."

"I was afraid that your divorce would hurt you both, but I didn't expect it to be this way," Delaney confessed.

"I was a fool, Delaney," Hillary sniffed. "I was very happy with Bill, but I threw it all the way for a wild goose chase."

"Well, Hillary, it's not too late," Delaney offered a glimmer of hope.

Hillary looked up from the pillow, desperate for any lifeline thrown at her. "What do you mean?"

"You still have time to make it up to him. That is, if you still love him.”

“I do,” Hillary declared for the first time. “I love him. I love him so much. If we are going to be apart, I don’t want us to end this way.

“Then, the answer shouldn’t be hard,” Delaney said. “You know what you have to do.”

Indeed, Hillary knew.

* * *

Hillary arrived home from DC on her own. The night before her flight, Bill texted her that he couldn’t fetch her at the airport because he had an out-of-town client call. Hillary wasn’t sure if he was telling the truth or he was lying, but she immediately texted “Ok.” If indeed he was lying, Hillary perfectly understood his reasons. It hurt a lot though. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but it was necessary. She would have to live with the consequences of her actions. Or at least until she sorted things out.

On her way home, Hillary noticed a familiar form of a young girl crying in front of the steps of her house. Hillary squinted and realized that it was Chelsea, the shy, timid girl who always sat at the back of her class. Hillary asked the taxi driver to stop in front of Chelsea’s house. She asked the cab driver to wait for her, and hurried towards the weeping kid.

Hillary knelt down beside Chelsea, who was ignoring her teacher and was incessantly crying. Heartbroken for the little girl’s plight, Hillary patted Chelsea’s back. Somehow, she thought, the sight of Chelsea crying pretty much summed up how she felt during the past couple of weeks.  

“Chelsea? It’s me, Miss Hillary,” she told the girl. “Are you okay? Why are you crying?”

Chelsea kept crying.

“Shhhhh,” Hillary stroked Chelsea’s hair. “It’s okay. Miss Hillary is here,” she cooed. “I’m here to help you.”

Hillary’s assurances landed on deaf ears. Chelsea kept crying and ignoring her teacher. Hillary felt that the situation was going nowhere fast so she decided to change tactics.

“Chelsea, are you hungry? Let’s get you some food inside your house,” Hillary offered the girl.

To Hillary’s surprise, Chelsea lifted her head and shook it.

“I can’t,” the girl whispered.

“Why?” Hillary asked.

“My aunt left. She locked the house. I don’t know where she is,” Chelsea whispered slowly.

Hillary’s heart sank. She knew very little about Chelsea, let alone her family. The girl was very quiet in class. Of all the kids, Hillary knew Chelsea the least. The girl was always on her own and she refused to talk or play with her classmates. She sometimes skips lunch and just naps on her seat.  

And now, Hillary clearly knew why.

“Where’s your Mom or Dad? Do they know your aunt left?” Hillary gently probed further.

“I don’t know who my Mom and Dad are,” Chelsea choked.

Hillary could not stop the tears that she was keeping at bay. Each time Chelsea spoke, a knife was being wedged into her heart. Hillary’s life was in shambles at the moment, but somehow, this kid was worse off than her.  

“Chelsea,” Hillary sniffed as she wiped the tears off her eyes. “Why don’t you come with me for now? I am sure you are hungry. What have you had for lunch?”

Chelsea shook her head. Hillary’s stomach churned.

“Okay,” said a flustered Hillary. “How about breakfast?”

Once again, the little girl shook her head. Shit. Chelsea hadn’t had anything for today!

“Alright. That’s okay,” Hillary tried her best to remain calm. “Come home with me. We’ll have supper together. Is that alright?”

Chelsea quietly nodded, and Hillary was thankful was she wasn’t met much opposition. In no time, they found themselves inside Hillary’s house.  Hillary quickly carried her luggage upstairs and dashed back down to prepare dinner for the two of them. Hillary opened the fridge and was shocked to find it filled not with food but with cans of beer. She looked around the kitchen and for the first time, she realized that it was cluttered all over. Beer cans, empty packs of chips, cookie crumbles and all other stuff that a college student would binge on. It was as if a slob had lived in there. Quickly, she tidied up the place as much as she could. She opened the drawers but alas, there wasn’t anything that was appropriate to feed to a five-year old for dinner. A fried egg and a glass of milk would suffice, but those too were gone.

Sighing, Hillary dialed the phone to call for delivery.

* * *

Bill arrived at their residence at about 1 in the morning. Contrary to his text to his wife, he wasn’t on a client call. In fact, he had taken a week of vacation leave because he was nursing his wounded heart. He had spent the entire time Hillary was away drinking, crying and drinking. When he realized that Hillary was about to come home, he chickened out and decided that he would make an excuse not to see her. It was for a good reason, though. He might me too overwhelmed and dysfunctional that he might fly the car towards the edge of a cliff. And besides, his therapist told him that he shouldn’t see her if he wasn’t prepared to.

That night, Bill spent his time drinking at the local bar and flirting with a girl he met there. His goal that night was to forget Hillary, to move past her. But somehow, his plan backfired. Everything the girl did – speak, laughed, and breathed – was always compared against Hillary’s. With every second that passed by, Bill felt more and more depressed that the girl he was speaking to was not Hillary.

Bill opened the lights and was surprised to find a lump on blanket in the couch. He edged towards the sleeping form, who he realized belonged to his wife and a little girl who he had never seen before. The girl had thick, bushy mane that resembled his when he was little. Hillary was cradling the girl in her arms, sleeping soundly.

Bill’s eyes caught the neatly folded note on the coffee table. It bore his name, so he immediately picked it up and opened it, revealing Hillary’s neat handwriting:

_Bill,_

_I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you, but one of my students, Chelsea, was left abandoned in her old apartment. According to their landlady, her aunt couldn’t pay their rent so she left, but she left Chelsea behind. I couldn’t resist taking her home with me. I know it’s not my place to ask but I hope it’s okay if I let Chelsea here for a few days. Don’t worry. You don’t have to lift a finger._

_Let’s talk things through in the morning._

_Hillary_

Bill tucked the note into his pocket, deeply jealous of the girl that was in her arms. Hillary cared for the girl more than him. Bill fought the urge to cry, as he had already exhausted the tears that were left in him.

Bill decided to take bedroom for himself, as Hillary and Chelsea had occupied the couch. Before he could take the first step upstairs, he looked back and took a hard look on the sleeping girls. He realized how beautiful and peaceful they looked. For the first time since that fateful day, he smiled. No matter how heartbroken he was, Bill could never fail to find something good and beautiful in Hillary.

“She can be a great Mom,” Bill thought to himself before he climbed upstairs.   

 


	14. Thirteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea what I'm doing.

Bill found Hillary and the strange little girl sitting in the kitchen, silently eating their breakfast as a fully prepared meal of fried eggs, bacon and a steaming jug of hot coffee sat on the dining table. The delicious smell of the food pulled him towards the small feast for him, but his attention was more drawn to the two women in his house. They had not noticed his presence as they were so engulfed in what seemed to be a very delightful conversation. Bill took that opportunity to observe them,.

Bill had not been in any of Hillary's classes, but he heard enough to know that she was having the time of her life there, and that kind of joy was evident in her face as she conversed with Chelsea, who herself was enjoying the conversation. For a kid who was supposed to be abandoned by her parents, Chelsea was quite a happy one. Was it because of Hillary's care? Bill had hoped so. After all, he knew how Hillary's magic worked with children. If Bill hadn't known Hillary, he would easily assume that those two were mother and child.

Suddenly, Hillary looked up and was surprised that he was already downstairs. She stood up, gently tapped Chelsea's shoulder to let her know that she was leaving, and hurried to attend to her husband.

"Oh, Bill! You're awake! Come, sit at the table now," Hillary led him towards the table. She pulled a chair for him. Bill felt a little awkward being served like this, especially that he was going to divorce the person who was serving him, but he brushed those queasy feelings aside because he knew she would be uncomfortable if he voiced out his thoughts. As soon as his butt touched the chair, Hillary hurried to the kitchen to grab his morning paper and placed it beside him like a dutiful maid.

"Thanks," Bill let out his sincere appreciation for her attention. "Come and join me?" was a request he hoped she would not turn down.

Hillary's face fell. "Oh, I wish I could. But I cannot leave Chelsea in the kitchen, and it's kinda rude for me to take her on the dining table...well...it's not my house..." she stammered.

"I don't mind," was his sincere response. Indeed, he was fascinated by Hillary and Chelsea's budding friendship.

"Oh, okay" some of the glow returned to Hillary's eyes as she went to the kitchen and brought Chelsea to the dining table. Chelsea was carrying her cereal bowl, and Hillary took her plate of toast and jam. Chelsea, who was quite engaging and talkative a little while ago, suddenly became withdrawn and distant.

"Hello, little girl," Bill smiled, hoping to make a connection with her. "My name is Bill. What's yours?"

Chelsea's eyes was focused on the cereal bowl, her spoon on her mouth. As Hillary sat beside the littel girl, she gave her the encouragement she needed.

"It's okay, Chelsea," Hillary assured her. "He won't hurt you. He's a good man."

It didn't take long for Hillary to realize that her own words were meant for her also. A twinge opened up in her chest as she patted Chelsea assuringly. The little girl looked up her for support, to which she smiled and nodded. Deep inside, Hillary wished that she too could look up to someone for strength the way Chelsea looked up to her.

"Go on." Once again, Hillary's encouragements were meant for the two of them.

The little girl gulped as she slowly took the spoon off her mouth.

"Chelsea," she whispered.

"What a pretty name," Bill's voice was laced with sincerity. Somehow, Bill thought, in the midst of the chaos in his life, the universe had decided to give him a small solace in the form of this little girl. "How old are you?"

Chelsea held up five fingers.

"Wow, you're practically a young lady now," Bill smiled. "You'll be a grown up in no time. What do you want to be when you grow up?"

"A teacher," Chelsea mumbled.

"What's that?” Bill leaned over to better hear her.

"A teacher," Chelsea said a little louder.

"Well, a teacher...you wanna be just like Miss Hillary?"

To Hillary's astonishment, Chelsea slowly nodded, the spoon back in her mouth. A lump began to form on her throat. In many ways that Hillary did not expect, Chelsea had become a miniature version of herself. Was fate trying to tell her something? Unable to take hold of her raging emotions, Hillary excused herself and went to their bathroom to cry. Bill knew what was going on with her, but he decided to her give the space she needed. He too, seeing the turmoil she was going through, wanted to be alone, but Chelsea was with him. The little girl was slowly opening up to him, but he didn’t want to risk destroying his rapport with her.

Bill and Chelsea had finished their breakfast, but Hillary remained nowhere to be seen. Bill told Chelsea to stay downstairs, to which the little girl obliged. Bill went upstairs and found his wife in a mess on their bed.

"Oh Hillary," Bill hurried to comfort Hillary and sat beside her.

"No, no, please," Hillary gently pushed him away. "Don't mind me. I am just in a bad shape this morning. I'll be alright in no time."

"Do you hear yourself, Hillary?" Bill said. "You don't sound like you're going to dry your tears in any minute."

"I'm fine, really," Hillary wiped her tears with the back of her hand, only to be replaced with fresh ones. "I am just tired. Another cup of coffee will probably help."

"Let me get you one," Bill offered. He was already standing when Hillary grabbed him by his hand.

"No, please," Hillary begged. "I'll just get one myself."

"And let Chelsea see you in that state? No, you can't," Bill refused.

Hillary stilled her sobs. "Give me a minute please. I promise, one minute."

Even though Bill knew he had no fault in this, he couldn't not help but feel worse than her. He was thankful for his newfound ability to control his tears, thanks to a lot of practice during the recent weeks, otherwise he would be sobbing harder than her and crawling at her foot. Instead, he sat back beside her and tilted her head so that she was leaning onto him.

“It’s okay,” Bill comforted her, like so many times during the past couple of weeks.

“I am sorry,” she sobbed again. “I should be the one comforting you instead of the other way around. I have never cried this hard for anyone before.”

_She…she hadn’t?_ Bill couldn’t ignore that small detail she just let out.

“You…you never had?” Those words escaped his lips before he could stop himself. He quietly kicked himself for having no self-control.

Hillary didn’t seem to have much self-control either, so she answered Bill’s question without thinking.

“Yeah, even Robert,” she whispered.

Robert…the mere mention of his name made Bill’s blood boil. That bastard. He wanted to beat him up more than the guy Mia left him for. He wanted to bang his head on the wall and kick him everywhere until he turned into pulp. God. If killing a person wasn’t a punishable offense, Bill would have done it by now. 

At that moment, Bill took the opportunity to ponder the differences between Hillary and Mia. Bill caught them both on their infidelities, but there was something that two instances: Mia never regretted cheating on him, but Hillary seemed willing to move heaven and earth just to earn even his mere forgiveness.

Bill never felt more treasured.

“Hillary,” Bill tilted her chin up so that she was looking at him. “I want to ask you something.”

“Anything,” she whispered, ready to give him everything.

Bill took a deep breath, hoping that he wouldn’t make things worse for them. “I want to know about Robert.”

Hillary tensed. “Why?”

“I need to know,” he said. “If we are ever going to forgive each other, then I need to know who Robert was and what he did to you.”

Hillary bit her lip. “Alright. But just so you know, you didn’t do anything to hurt me.”

Bill shook his head. “No, I did. I should have trusted us more. I knew you felt it. I felt it too. I should have acted on our feelings before.”

“Who would have thought that we would end up this way? I proposed the open marriage so that you’ll be free to see the

“I knew I bit off more than I could chew when I asked you to sleep with me,” Bill confessed. “I thought that what I was feeling for you was just sexual attraction, and nothing more. But I was proven wrong early on.  I…fell in love with you, Hillary.” Those last words were enough to make Hillary’s heart stop.

“We shouldn’t have, because we knew we won’t last long. And yet we have,” Hillary said tearfully. “You have no idea how much I wanted you when you kissed me in my apartment.”

“Am I that good?” Bill joked.

Hillary giggled in between tears. “You weren’t good. You were amazing.”

“When we got drunk in Florida,” Bill said, “I really thought we were going all in. I saw it in your eyes, and I thought it was too good to be true. Well, it was. The next morning, you didn’t remember any of it.”

“I am sorry, I was so reckless,” Hillary apologized, “but I think I had been more honest with myself in my drunken state than when I had my full wits with me.”

“I could forgive you for that,” Bill said, “we were both fucked up. And I am glad that you told me that. But there is one thing more I need to know.”

“I know,” Hillary replied. “Robert.”

Bill nodded.

Hillary took a deep breath. For the first time, she told Bill about Robert. How he asked her for her hand in marriage. How excitedly she looked forward to their wedding. How she almost died when she read Robert’s goodbye letter on the entrance of the church. How she almost died after that. How she never recovered. How she almost rose from the dead when she saw him at the school. As Hillary told him everything about Robert, Bill’s disdain for the man intensified. His desire to kill the man as looking rather kind.

“That asshole,” Bill muttered angrily. “He deserves to burn in hell.”

“Now, now, Bill. Calm yourself,” Hillary tried to soothe his temper.

“After all that he did to you, he had the nerve to pursue you again? And even make you the other woman?!” Bill’s veins were protruding in his temple, his face red with fury.

“What he did was wrong, but I would let karma give him his place,” Hillary said, looking up at Bill. “And I would let you give me my place. If you decide to forgive me, I welcome that. But if not, I respect your decision.”

Bill’s eyes were kind. How could he not be so?

“What would you have done if the roles were reversed?” he asked her.

“I don’t think I could stand not forgiving you, even if you didn’t ask for forgiveness,” she confessed.

“Then you have my decision Hillary,” Bill smiled. “I have given you my forgiveness.  Even before you asked. It only took me a while to get in terms with it. But now, I complete have.”

Bill’s words brought back the tears in her eyes. She couldn’t believe it so much that she forgot herself and launched herself into his arms, weeping on his neck.

“Oh Bill,” she sobbed. “Thank you.”

“Sssssssh,” Bill cooed. “It’s okay.”

“You have no idea how much it means to me,” Hillary said. “I feel like I could jump off a cliff and fly.”

“Wait! Don’t do that!” Bill chuckled.  “We don’t want broken bones on you.”

“I know. I know. I am just so happy.” Hillary pulled away from him and cupped his face, wanting to look at him when she finally say the words she was dying to tell him. “Bill?”

“Yes?”

“I love you so much,” she finally said, savoring each word.

Even though Bill had fantasized hearing those words from Hillary, his imagination was nothing compared to the real thing. His breath hitched. His heart was beating wildly in his chest. The pupils of his eyes darkened.

He didn’t think it was possible to fall in love with her harder than he did before, and yet here he was,

“I love you too, Hillary,” Bill responded, still in disbelief. He pinched himself to make sure that he was not dreaming, and to his delight, he felt pain, and everything remained the same. He beamed at her. He felt as if he was in cloud nine. And just as Bill thought things couldn’t get any better, Hillary lounged forward and trapped him a long, loving kiss.  And he bent down to kiss her. Right on the lips, a perfectly executed, subtle brushing of his lips against hers, and nothing more. Her fingers slid over his shoulders to lock behind his neck, and pull his head back down to hers. She touched her lips to his, and his hand spanned her waist, pulling her against him.

Their kiss was warm and soft, but it was only because there was a child waiting for them downstairs. However, the faintest traces of their desire were already showing. Her legs were already clenched to hide the moisture that had formed in her center, and a hard outline was already visible in his pants. Sighing, they mutually pulled apart.

Hillary stood up and decided to go down and take Chelsea out for some clothes shopping. Before she left the room, she planted a small, chaste kiss on Bill’s lips as he calmed himself down. As she walked away, Bill was ever so thankful for everything, even at the heartbreak he experienced with her. After all, everything that had happened brought them back to each other, and Bill would not have it any other way.  

As soon as Hillary was gone, Bill reached for his phone and dialed the number of the FBI NYC office. It took two rings before the person on the other end of the line answered the call.

“Hi, this is Bill Clinton. About that planned divorce with Hillary Rodham…I think we better talk…”   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think guys? I hope you liked it. I was writing on autopilot hahahahahaha.


	15. Fourteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know...I know. So sorry for not updating for so long. :(

Hillary woke up feeling Bill's body weigh her down on their bed. He was hugging her close like a teddy bear as she stretched her legs on a lazy Saturday morning. Poor Bill, though. He was exhausted after a night of intense lovemaking, trying to make up for the weeks of intimacy that they have lost. Her body was sore from all that activity, and that was a cruel reminder to her that she was lagging in her exercise. It was probably time to take out her jogging shoes again. 

But still, those small inconveniences were nothing to the absolute bliss that she had been feeling. Waking up next to Bill had been nothing but wonderful. Being greeted with kisses every morning was turning out to be a pleasant wake up call for her. Though on that specific day, she woke up earlier that he did, as he was worn out. It still felt every good, though. His arms were her refuge, and she had never felt safer than with him. Not even with the best protection America could provide. If it were down to Bill and the FBI, she would choose Bill without a doubt.

That day, they were supposed to go shopping for wallpaper for Chelsea’s room. Since no one had been looking for Chelsea, and nobody was willing to take her in either, Bill and Hillary decided to keep Chelsea under their custody. They had notified the local social workers of Chelsea’s situation, and they were given permission to keep the little girl while no one had claimed guardianship over her. The pronouncement of the social workers delighted both Bill and Hillary, who had instantly fallen in love with the little girl.

Chelsea had fallen in love with her new family too. The little girl who used to be shy and quiet was now lively and energetic, thanks to the love and attention given to her by her ‘foster’ parents. Chelsea still went to the day care center, but Hillary had already resigned from her job, as she did not want to see Robert ever again. Twice he had hurt her, and now, Hillary had enough. She deserved better.

She deserved Bill.

As Hillary reminisced the past couple of weeks, she could not help but think of herself as an idiot for not recognizing the signs of Bill’s feelings for her. Bill too wasn’t completely receptive of her feelings for him, so they were both idiots. She would have smacked her former self for being so blind and dumb. Oh well. It didn’t matter anymore.

As she was staring at the windows, admiring their garden, a large hand suddenly found its way on to her mound, and she almost sucked her breath because of the suddenness. She looked behind her and she found Bill’s smiling face, his eyes closed as if sleeping. Hillary wasn’t fooled, though. She let out a mischievous smile and grabbed his member from behind.

“JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH!” Bill popped his eyes open when he felt her cold hand wrapped around his manhood.

Hillary turned around to face him and planted a soft kiss on his nose. “Gotcha.”

Bill smirked. "You're such a naughty little..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Hillary silenced him with a ravaging kiss. Damn. Bill's breath stank and Hillary was sure hers stank too, but she didn't care. She kissed him harshly. His arms wrapped around her waist and held her close as he tried to kiss back with as much fervor and force. Neither was willing to cede their dominance, and the struggle only intensified their arousal.

"This is going nowhere. We're too sloppy," Hillary gasped as she pulled away from her husband.

Bill gave a cheeky grin. "So, what do you want?"

"This."

Hillary pushed Bill away. She moved from his grasp and crawled so that her face was in between his legs. Hidden under the covers, Hillary saw Bill's half-hard manhood, waiting for her attention. Her mouth instantly watered. Not wasting any second, she dived right in and took him in her mouth completely. 

Her boldness caught him by surprise, and it knocked the air off his lungs. He pulled the sheets off him, and it revealed the divine sight of wife sucking him with fervor. The combination of the exquisite sensation of her lovemaking, and the glorious vision of her full naked splendor was almost too much for him to handle. His senses were going haywire. He needed to break his attention fast.  

Thankfully, he caught sight of her legs. Between them was her dripping entrance. Bill lifted her leg up and plunged his face into her opening, causing her to suddenly suck harder. He felt her gulp, and his hips involuntarily moved. Once they both got accustomed to their current positions, the devoted themselves to bringing each other to their climax.

In the short span that Hillary and Bill had not touched each other, they had almost forgotten how amazing each other felt. It was as if they had known each other for a very long time. They knew what makes the other shiver, groan, gasp and squirm. That morning was no exception. Using their mouths to heighten each other's pleasure, they sucked, licked and tongued each other’s sex.

As Bill lapped at Hillary’s swollen lips, her hand snaked to her clitoris and rubbed the sensitive bud. Her other hand was busy massaging his sac. As their pleasure climbed, their ministrations got sloppier and sloppier. Her belly began to undulate, making it harder for him to catch her sex. He, on the other hand, was pushing his shaft on her mouth causing her to lose her breath. When withdrew her mouth to breathe, she opted to swipe the entirety of his length, from the balls to the head, almost making him come.

“Oh God,” Bill cried, “I’m almost there.”

Bill’s pronouncement only made Hillary more determined to bring him to the finish line. Meanwhile, he kept his assault on her pussy. Her breath started coming in shorter gaps. Bill’s tongue accompanied the circular motion of Hillary’s fingers. “Yes,” she said, “yes, just like that.” He felt his release simmering. “I am going to cum,” he said, twirling his tongue incessantly for the final time.

“Oh yes!” Hillary cried triumphantly, her pussy convulsing around his tongue. Bill felt her hit her orgasm as he himself started shooting inside her mouth.

“Hillary!” was the only word Bill managed to say as he spilled and spilled his release all over. His face was glistening from her wetness.

They remained in their positions when they were done, taking in deep breaths. What a way to start their day. After a little while, Bill felt ridiculous when her feet nudging his face so he got up and switched his position so that they were facing each other again. Grinning like a mad man, Bill kissed his wife yet again, tasting the mixture of their release.

“What a way to start the day,” Bill smiled, “I feel like I’ve drunk 10 Red Bulls.”

“If so,” Hillary bit her lip seductively, “you wouldn’t mind moving all the furniture in Chelsea’s bedroom, would you?”

* * *

The three of them spent the day shopping for wallpaper for Chelsea’s bedroom. After Bill and Hillary decided to keep Chelsea, he volunteered to have his study converted to a bedroom. It took the couple quite a while to move out all of his books (*Seriously, Bill? Have you even heard of Kindle?!”). After several days of packing and cleaning, they cleared out all the stuff from Bill’s study. But even before they cleared the room up, Hillary had the sense to buy a mattress and some stuff for Chelsea in advance.

During the first night of Chelsea sleeping in the room (she used to sleep with Hillary on the masters’ bedroom, with Bill still on the couch even though they already made up), words barely formed on Chelsea’s mouth.

“What’s the matter, Sweetie? You don’t like it?” Hillary asked worriedly.

Chelsea shook her head. “No, Miss Hillary,” she said. “I like it very much.”

“But why do you seem sad?” inquired Bill.

“It’s my first time to have one.”

“A bedroom?”

Chelsea shook her head. “A bed.”

Both Bill and Hillary were so shaken by what Chelsea had just revealed to them. Bill could hear Hillary sniff, but she made sure that Chelsea wasn’t aware of her reaction. She did a good job, though, as Chelsea stretched on the bed and rested her head on the pillow.

“Miss Hillary, can you read me a story?” Chelsea asked.

“Yeah, Miss Hillary. I’d love to hear a story too,” added Bill in a childlike voice.

“Oh well, since my two children have asked, how can I say no?”

Bill lay behind Chelsea and propped himself on the bed sideways after he tucked Chelsea. Hillary returned to the bedroom carrying a small booked that she knew Chelsea liked. She had seen the little girl occasionally reading it in class. As an experiment, Hillary bought a copy of the book and read it to Chelsea. Her hunch was right. Chelsea loved it so much. Hillary had been reading it to her for a week now and Chelsea hadn’t showed signs of boredom or disinterest.

Before Hillary could finish the book, Chelsea was already asleep. Bill was caressing Chelsea’s hair from behind, and the sight of the made Hillary’s heart swell.

“I guess we’re done for today,” Hillary took off her glasses and placed the book on Chelsea’s bedside table. “Tuck me to bed?”

Hillary’s invitation caused a smirk to appear on Bill’s face. “Gladly.”

Without waking Chelsea up, Bill stood up from the bed and scooped Hillary, who had her arms raised in anticipation. Like a baby, she rested her head on his chest and rubbed her nose against the fabric of his shirt. Bill loved it when she did that.

“Do I need to read some bedtime stories for you too?” Bill asked suggestively.

Hillary shook her head, looking up at him. “No. But I can think of another way of putting me to sleep.”

“Can you tell me?”

“I’ll tell you when we’re on the bed,” Hillary said.

Indeed, Hillary told him what to do when they were on the bed. She told him to kiss her, pay attention to her, to make love to her, and make love to her he did. Her moans were like music to his ears. That's all the prompting he needed. He pulled the strap of her nightgown down and kissed her shoulder again before trailing his lips to the neckline of the thin fabric. Slowly he brought the shirt up until it was over her head leaving her exposed.

His mouth traveled down her throat, across her chest where it finally landed on the soft flesh of her breast. He placed soft butterfly kisses all around the skin. Her hands found the bottom of his pajamas and began to pull it up. Soon they were bare-chested. Hillary couldn't help but gawk at Bill’'s upper torso. She had seen them before but each time was like her first. This exciting and exhilarating feeling…she had never experienced it with anyone but Bill.

Soon both were released completely by the binding of fabric and lay there in full glory. Bill's hands ran up and down her stomach, across her hips until it started to descend lower. Gently he touched her which resulted in a moan. Quickly the gentleness became harder as he stroked her.

"Yes…harder" she whispered.

He pushed himself in. She closed her eyes and tensed beneath him but that quickly changed as he began to quicken his pace. He thrusted into her small body, pushing her deeper into the mattress.

Hillary closed her eyes and gripped his shoulders as she felt herself finally let go. Wave after wave of pleasure swept over her trembling body. Bill grabbed the sheets and gripped them tightly as he released, falling on top of Hillary in a sweaty mess.

After their lovemaking, they remained awake, their flush bodies facing each other, their hearts sated. They were exhausted, but neither had the desire to sleep.

Bill noticed that familiar look in Hillary’s eyes, the look that signified that she was thinking hard. “Penny for your thoughts?”

Hillary sighed. “I just realized that you haven’t met my parents yet.”

“Well, we haven’t had the chance to,” Bill reasoned.

“Do you want to meet them?” Hillary asked hesitantly.

“Of course I do! I’d love to meet your family!”

Hillary sighed. “I wish I can introduce you to them. I miss them so much.”

Bill knew how much she longed for her family. “What if you write them a letter? Tell them you’re okay with me?”

“You know I can’t. The FBI barred all forms of communication between me and my family,” Hillary sighed in frustration. “Emails, texts, Facebook, even snail mail.”

“Well, they can’t bar hand-carried letters.”

Hillary was taken aback. ”What did you say?”

“Write a letter to them,” Bill urged her. “And after we part ways, I’ll deliver it personally to them.”

An unexpected pool of tears formed in her eyes. She was overwhelmed and very touched by his gesture that she didn’t know what to say. “You…you’ll do that for me?”

“I’d love to, of course,” Bill kissed her hair, “I’d be happy to meet your family too.”

“Thank you,” she covered his lips with hers, her kisses tender and loving, “I know you’ve done so much for me, but I have one last favor to ask.”

“What is it?”

“When I’m gone, make sure Chelsea is taken care of. She’s like a daughter to me now. And I’m sure she is to you too.”


	16. Fifteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter wrote itself.

It was Friday night, and Bill and Hillary were lazily flipping through the channels in their comfy sofa. Chelsea had already gone to bed since she had attended a classmate’s birthday party and she was exhausted when they got home. Neither Hillary nor Bill was complaining, though. They wanted to spend the night for themselves, so they simply dumped themselves in front of the TV and hopefully, they’ll make it to the bedroom.

“I am so tired, Honey,” Hillary yawned as she rubbed her nose into his shirt.

“I thought we’re gonna…you know…” Bill cleared his throat.

“Give me an hour” she bargained. “Why don’t you watch TV?

 Bill chuckled. “Alright, Baby. I’ll wake you up in an hour.”

On cue, Hillary leaned on his arm and snoozed softly. Bill would have wanted to get a blanket for her but his movement might disturb her peaceful sleep, so he simply wrapped his arm around her to keep her warm. Bill relished the sight of his sleeping wife. Wow. She never looked so happy peaceful ever since he met her. Bill felt a warm feeling sprang on his chest, knowing that he and Chelsea brought the sunshine in her eyes. Though his girls didn’t realize it, they brought the sunshine in his too. His life worked out in ways he never expected. The only hamper to their happiness was their impending divorce and Hillary’s relocation somewhere else.

The reminder of the inevitable made his heart clench in pain and watching Hillary so happy in his arms only intensified the hurt. All they wanted was a peaceful life. Was that too much to ask? Also, why them? Why, of all people, did they have to be tangled in this debacle of epic proportions? In a way, Bill’s loathing over the President multiplied a thousandfold. If he had not done what he did, maybe they would still be in New York. And maybe they would be dating like two normal New Yorkers would.

But then again, if it hadn’t been for the President, they wouldn’t have married so soon. And Bill wouldn’t trade anything in the world to have it otherwise.

Bill shoved all his negative feelings aside and went to back to flipping the channels. Nope. That night was for both of them. No reminder of their problems at all.  

Sadly, fate wasn’t on their side.

Just after Hillary fell asleep, Bill caught CNN breaking the scoop of the first indictments approved by the grand jury. He wasn’t privy to what Hillary had testified on, but he was sure Hillary would want to hear it. He debated whether to tell her right away. He didn’t want anything to spoil their night, but he felt that he would be doing Hillary a disservice if he didn’t tell her right away.

Bill, praying that everything would turn out fine, kissed Hillary’s temple to wake her up. It didn’t take too much to wake her up, as she wasn’t a heavy sleeper (and she had the legendary talent to sleep at will). Hillary stretched her arms and legs and blinked awake. She didn’t look too rested, but it didn’t matter now.

“Baby, what is it?” Hillary yawned.

“Honey, I think you might want to see this,” Bill pointed at the TV.

Hillary fixed herself up and did as she was told. She was a bit disoriented as first, but the news of the first indictment slowly seeped into her consciousness. For several minutes, she was silent, her eyes fixed on the TV screen. Bill let her take it all in, digest every piece of information. He held her hand to tell her that she wasn’t alone in this. In a moment of candor, Hillary she squeezed back, a tacit acknowledgment and appreciation of his support.

“This…oh my God,” she said as the first teardrop fell from her face.

“Baby,” Bill rubbed her back, “it’s okay.”

“It’s more than okay, Baby,” more tears followed the first, “I am so happy.”

Bill was surprised yet relieved at her reaction. He pulled her closer. “I am so proud of you, Sweetie,”

“Thank you, Honey,” Hillary held Bill tighter, “I wouldn’t have made it without you.”

“It’s nothing, Baby. Compared to what you did. You’re the real, unsung hero in all of this.”

Hillary pulled away and sniffed. Her face changed all of a sudden, and Bill couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

“Honey, I’ve been thinking about us in the past couple of weeks,” she said.

Bill’s heart suddenly sank. For some reason, he didn’t like the sound of this.

Hillary closed her eyes. “The past few months with you had been my best. I am so thankful that I met you, and to have the privilege of being married to you.”

Nothing in Hillary’s words eased the dread in his heart, so he closed his eyes, hoping that somehow, not being able to see her face would ease the inevitable pain, even just a bit.

Bill could feel Hillary playing with his fingers. “We both know that we’re not supposed to last long. In a few months, I’ll leave Arkansas, and we’ll be divorced.”

Bill’s heart was pounding. _Please, no…_

Hillary took a deep breath.

“…and I don’t want that to happen.”

Bill jolted, his eyes suddenly wide open. He couldn’t have heard what he thought he heard, could he?

He looked back at Hillary, who was giving him an imploring look, and he understood.

He really heard what he thought he heard.

Hillary brought his hand to her lips and kissed it tenderly. “I don’t want to leave Arkansas,” she sighed, “I want to stay here. With you and Chelsea. I want to have children with you, and I want to have Chelsea too.”

Bill held his gaze towards his wife. He didn’t realize he was holding his breath until his lungs were constricted by the lack of air. Hillary wasn’t sure if her husband was some sort of shock.

“Honey, are you okay?” she asked worriedly.

Bill gently slapped himself and pinched his arm to see if he was dreaming. He felt pain in both instances, and he didn’t want up from some sort of dream. Hillary…Hillary wanted to stay!

Without warning, he launched forward and caught his wife in a very tight embrace, as if she was Rose and he was Jack, and their life was a life raft from the sinking Titanic, and the rescuers were just around the corner.

“Billy!” Hillary almost choked as she felt his tears drenching her shoulder.

“Baby…oh Baby,” Bill sobbed. “You have no idea how happy I am.”

“Not as happy as I was when you married me,” she said.

“Oh Hillary,” Bill started peppering her shoulder with soft kisses, and she was gently squirming in her seat.

“Honey,” she moaned softly.

As if on cue, Bill moved upward to her chin and on to her lips, which she captured in a slow, lazy kiss. Now with all the time and opportunity in the world, neither of them felt the need to hurry. They enjoyed each other’s mouths in a sensual dance of tongue and teeth, as the fire that flicked at the pit of their stomachs burned slowly but steadily.

 “Touch me, Honey,” Hillary begged when she broke off from the kiss.

“You need not ask,” Bill smirked.

Bill’s knew Hillary’s body like the back of his hand; what made her shiver and what made her moan. He hadn’t told her yet, but he loved how she was his equal in bed. She wasn’t too aggressive, but she wasn’t too submissive either. She was willing to try new things with her, and for the past couple of weeks, she had made several of his fantasies come true. Bill could only jump for joy on how lucky he was to have asked her to marry him.

Bill’s hand crawled underneath her blouse, where her breasts where eager to receive his manual attention. He vividly recalled the time when she came just from the pressure of his tongue on her breasts. It was a crowning achievement for him. He thought that it was just a myth, but the sight of Hillary, her eyes fluttering from her climax, told him otherwise.

“Yes, Honey,” Hillary coaxed her husband.

He gently squeezed and pinched her, occasionally arching her back from the sensation. In return, her hand crept on the waistband of his jeans and quietly opened his pants, where his arousal was struggling to break free beneath the fabric of his briefs. She slipped her hand beneath his underwear and gripped him just the way he liked it.

“Oh fuck,” he moaned.

“You sound so sexy when you do that,” Hillary complimented him.

“Thanks, Baby. And you are so sexy no matter what you do.”

Hillary couldn’t beat Bill in the compliment game, so she let it slide. She decided to repay his flowery words with her mouth. She gently removed his hand from her breast and knelt in front of him. She freed him from his underwear, welcoming his member with a long, slow lick.

“Shit, Hillary.”

If Bill was already spewing a litany of curses, then he better brace himself for what was coming. Hillary finally removed her shirt and her bra, exposing her hard, darkened nipples. She leaned forward and enveloped his shaft with her breast while her tongue swirled around his tip. Her combined ministrations drove him crazy.  

“Love it, Honey?” she smirked.

“Oh yeah…ohhhhhhhhh!”

Hillary didn’t even let Bill finish his sentence when she dipped her head and swallowed him whole until his tip reached the back of her throat. Bill was impartial to being made to with the mouth, and each and every time, Bill was robbed of every coherent thought when Hillary sucked him in earnest. She, on the other hand, was enjoying the sight of her husband exploding into oblivion whenever she kissed him. She felt so special and powerful. Her chest swelled with pride…and desire.

As her mouth made love to his erection, her center was clenching with jealousy. Her hips jerked on its own as if it was fantasizing that he already was inside her. She was needy, but she maintained her restraint as she worked her magic on his hard member.  

Sensing his wife’s needs, Bill pulled her up from the floor. His fingers quickly pulled her skirt and panties and found its way to her dripping slit. The slightest contact caused her to shiver and any more movement might cause her to explode.

“Baby, are you…?” Bill asked tentatively.

“I don’t want to wait any longer, Honey,” she said.

Bill nodded, she turned her back against him, positioning himself on her entrance. He teased her by rubbing himself on her but not entering and it elicited a frustrated groan from her. She dug her fingers into his thigh, signaling her impatience. Finally, he guided her in his lap as he allowed her to slowly sink into him. A moan of satisfaction escaped their lips, and it was all they needed.

“Bill, please,” Hillary turned her head backward and kissed him. 

Slowly, they rocked their hips in unison. It felt so good. They took their time drawing out their pleasure, intending to make this last as long as possible, even though they both knew that they were about to come undone very very soon. Bill’s mouth fell to the crook of her neck, where he sucked her good until he left his mark on her neck. “You feel so good, Hilly.”

"Uhhhh..." Hillary moaned softly with every thrust, her hips matching his pace, clutching him with her arms as pleasure reverberated throughout her body. Her hands, having a life of their own, snaked towards her hard nub and rubbed it in earnest while Bill steadily thrust against her. Each draw, each rise and fall of their hips left them both panting, but the surge of exquisite pleasure in their veins replaced their need for air. Exquisite sensation best described how he felt within her, causing her eyes to flutter when his pelvic bone began grinding over her sensitive nub. Faster and faster. "Don't stop... don't ever stop..."

And stop, they did not. Slowly stroking in and out of her slick, wet heat was pure heaven. His knees spread enough to dig into the couch, giving him a deeper angle to surge harder. He panted low and husky against her ear, suddenly pounding into her for a time until she frantically cried out. Her hips arched hard, her body clenching around him as a roaring, blissful orgasm stormed through her. Not long after, he followed through. She felt the vigorous spurts of his warm seed inside her while her own climax left her writhing above him.

She could barely catch her breath, her arms clinging to him, their skin sticky with perspiration. She felt glorious and exhausted, panting loudly, her eyes still shut. He was softening inside her, his heart racing so fast she could feel it against her chest. He whispered her name and the word 'love' over and over, causing her to smile. She tenderly kissed his temple, her fingers slowly coursing through his dark hair.

If this love making was Hillary’s reward for her gamble to be with Bill, then she thought that it was paying dividends already. Fantastic was fast becoming inadequate to Hillary when describing making love to Bill. She was at a blissful loss for words.

“Cat got your tongue?” Bill teased.

“Nope, but you got my heart,” she replied smiling.

Bill Clinton, a man of charm and eloquence, suddenly found himself speechless.

“I don’t know how to respond to that,” he said, “but let me give back by carrying you to our bed and then we continue there.”

Hillary immediately wrapped her arms around his neck.

“No complaints here,” she replied.  

 

 


	17. Sixteen

“Chelsea! Come over here! I still need to fix your ponytail!”

Hillary called Chelsea from the adult tables. The little girl, who was had her hair disheveled from running around, ran off from Hillary when the latter was still fixing her hair. It was Joey Olsen’s birthday, and Chelsea was invited.  Joey was one of Chelsea’s classmates and Hillary’s former students. Joey’s parents set up a small party in their backyard so that he and his friends and classmates could play.

Chelsea ignored Hillary, running all over the place instead.

Hillary let gave an exasperated sigh and focused her ire on her husband, who was sitting next to her eating cake.

“I told you she’s not allowed too much cake. She won’t be able to sleep by 9. Sugar makes her hyperactive,” she said.

“Awww, live a little Hillary. Let Chelsea have all the cake she wants. It’s Joey’s birthday!” Bill swatted her concerns off.

“It’s Joey’s birthday, not hers. She can have all the cake she wants on her own birthday,” Hillary pressed.

“Bill’s right, Hillary,” Marcia, Joey’s mom, interrupted, “let Chelsea have cake. We have a lot more of those if she wants to.”

“That’s very generous of you, Marcia but I think we’ll pass. Chelsea will bounce off inside the house if she gets anymore cake. “

“I want one!” Bill raised his hand, his mouth still full of cake.

“Billy!”

Hillary was so frustrated at her husband that she didn’t realize she called him “Billy” in front of Marcia and the other guests. She didn’t realize her gaffe, but Bill was turning beet red.

“W-well, I think I better go and start with the party games,” Marcia awkwardly said, “I’ll see you two later.”

Marcia stood up and left the couple on their own. Once they were alone, Hillary was free to quietly berate Bill.

“Bill! You do realize today’s Sunday, right? Chelsea can’t sleep past 9,” Hillary furiously whispered to her husband’s ear.

“Let her skip class tomorrow, if that’s your concern,” Bill replied, “maybe we can drive her to the amusement park.”

“No! That’s not it Bill,” Hillary replied, her voice softer.

Bill raised an eyebrow. “What?”

Hillary looked like she was waiting for Bill to catch on. “Did you forget? Today is Sunday?”

“And?”

Hillary rolled her yes. “We do stuff on Sunday nights.”

Bill’s eyes were as wide as tennis balls. “OH. That.” He cleared his throat. “Sorry, I…I forgot. I was having too much cake myself.”

“I swear. Your brain gets all mushy with cake,” Hillary sighed.

“I know, Darlin’. I promise, Chelsea will be asleep by 9 tonight. Scout’s Honor,” Bill raised his right hand a la boy scout.

Thankfully, Hillary was satisfied. “Alright, just make sure that happens. Then you’ll put me to bed after.”

“Oh I will,” Bill grinned.

* * *

As promised, Chelsea was asleep by 9pm, and Bill retired to their bedroom, where Hillary sat waiting in her translucent lacy nightgown Bill gave her on her birthday. It had gotten much use ever since. Bill eyes darken as he feasted on the exquisite beauty of his wife.

“You’re fucking beautiful, Hilly,” he could only gasped.

Hillary batted her eyelashes seductively as he has on the bed next to her. “I am glad you liked it.” She wasted no time attacking his jaw with her sweet lips.

“Baby?”

“Yes?”

Bill tried to remain focused when Hillary was “I was going to ask you something earlier.”

“What is it?” Hillary managed to say in between her nibbles and kisses.

“You already called Agent Delaney right? What did she say?”

Hillary immediately ceased with her ministrations. “I told her I want out of witness protection, given that I have mostly finished with my testimony. She said it’s quite alright, but she wants me not to make contact with my family or anyone I know. She’s still cautious about the threats around me. The Russians tend to favor mafia-style revenge.”

The thought of Hillary being killed by the Russians made Bill’s blood turn cold.

“That’s quite a relief,” what Bill’s half-lie. “So, what now?

“Well, I’ll just wait for Delaney’s final word and we’re all good to go. The divorce is off t--,”

Before Hillary could finish her sentence, Bill peppered her face and lips with kisses, drowning her in his expression of love. His hands were all over her, and his body was pressing closer to her. She clung to him tighter than she could ever remember. Yes, yes, yes.

“Oh, Hillary,” Bill gasped in between his kisses. “Stay…stay with me.”

“Oh Honey, I will,” she moaned when Bill cupped her breasts. She kicked off her lacy panties and straddles his lap. They were already prepared for each other. She sank down on him with a long sigh of relief. This was exactly what she wanted all day long, ever since he teased her during Joey’s birthday.

As they moved together, Hillary tried to savor every moment—to memorize each sensation as it came. She'd already been so keyed up that it didn't take her long to go over the edge, and Bill followed soon after. She slumped forward, leaning against him and wrapping herself around him to take in the last delicious waves of pleasure.            

As they caught their breaths, Bill and Hillary had a collective realization as they locked eyes.

It was time for them to start a family.

Sure, Chelsea’s adoption papers are already in the works, but they wanted more. They wanted a sibling for her to play with, another kid to love and cherish. Yes. Nothing was going to separate them anymore. The single hindrance to their happiness that already fell down like the Berlin Wall, and there was no more reason for them so stall.

“Make love to me again, Billy,” she whispered.

Bill touched her belly, understanding what she meant. “You need not ask twice, Darlin’.”

And so they made love over and over again, and each time they climaxed, they were more sure that they were one step closer to their dream of completing their family.

* * *

Bill, Hillary and Chelsea stepped out of the car as soon as they were parked inside his garage. Chelsea ran first into the house, where she bounced her way to her room. Bill and Hillary picked up the bags of groceries inside the car’s trunk. Before Bill could completely close the garage, she managed to get a glimpse of a large mustached man who was wearing shades and a leather jacket, standing in front of their mailbox. That’s odd. She never met or saw anyone who looked like him before.

“Honey, can you take a peek at our mailbox? Someone’s there,” Hillary asked in hushed tones.

“Alright.”

Once inside Bill placed the groceries on top of the kitchen counter and he stealthily looked at their lawn from inside.

“Do you know him? He seems to be looking for something,” Hillary, standing in the kitchen, asked worriedly.

“I haven’t seen him before. Maybe he’s just lost his way?”

“I don’t know,” Hillary couldn’t shake the feeling that the man was exactly where he should be. “I have a feeling that he’s up to no good. He has a leather jacket and shades. He looks bulky too. Like a New York city thug”

“You’re just overthinking, Honey,” Bill kissed Hillary’s temple. “This is the first time we’ve seen him. It’s probably nothing.”

Hillary simply nodded. She just hoped that her husband was correct.

But that didn’t stop her from dialing her cellphone.

* * *

It was past 2pm when Bill returned from lunch with his associates at the law firm. They went to a famous burger joint in Little Rock and they had lost track of the time so they arrived pretty late at the firm. Full of food and laughter, the group of lawyers were quite loud when they entered the office.

But for some reason, Bill swore he saw the outline of a familiar man standing to the phone booth a block away from their office. Bill couldn’t help but think that it was the same man who was standing in front of their house. Coincidence? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Either way, he felt the need to warn his wife.

As soon as was inside in his private office, Bill dialed Hillary’s phone. She picked up his call right away.

“Hello Honey?”

“Baby, what are you doing right now?” Bill asked.

“Just reading. Why? Do you need me to bring you anything from the house?”

“No, no, no. It’s…it’s just I need to get my gun from my safe,” Bill said, his voice dire.

“Why?” her tone suddenly became serious.

Bill lowered his voice. “Remember the man who you saw in front of our house? I think I saw him a block away from the office.”

Hillary gasped quietly. “Oh dear. I knew somebody was following us.”

“They might know you’re here,” Bill said.  _They_ , meaning the Russians.

“Yeah. I already told Aunt Linda about this,” Hillary replied, referring Aunt Linda to Agent Delaney.  

“Get my gun. Do not leave the house. Lock the doors if you must. I’ll have my mother pick up Chelsea from school. She can stay with her. I’ll tell her we have a big fight. God knows she’s been dreaming of that ever since. I’ll be bait.”

“I can’t let you do that!” Hillary gasped, horrified. “Come home. Let Chelsea be at your Mom’s. We can ask for Aunt Linda’s help.

Bill thought of another plan. “Yes, let’s leave Chelsea at Mom’s. We’ll just explain later. I’ll come home tonight, okay?”

“Yes, please come home tonight,” Hillary begged as drops of ice cold sweat formed on her forehead. “I need you. I am scared,” her voice cracked.

“Shhhh, I’m here, I’m here” Bill soothed the fears of his wife. “We made a vow to each other: in sickness and in health, and in life and in death, and I have no plans of breaking that vow ever. You understand me?”

In the midst of the danger, Hillary’s heart swell a hundredfold. She couldn’t have married a better guy if she wanted to.

And luckily for Bill, she didn’t want to.

* * *

When Bill arrived home, he was disturbed to find the lights off, as Hillary usually would have turned them on right now, unless she had left their home. However, Bill explicitly warned her not to leave their house before he arrived, and he had no reason to think that she didn’t understand his instructions perfectly.  Maybe she felt she was endangering him so she ran away?

No, that’s absurd. She promised him that she would stay. And besides, he must be thinking crazy things. He was probably watching too much Taken and Taken 2 a little too much.  

Or, maybe, the FBI had already secured her and he was yet to hear the news.

_Please, let it be. Let it be._

When Bill flicked the lights open, a messy living room greeted her. Their furniture destroyed, their possessions ruined. Based on his trained eye, these were clearly signs of struggle. Bill’s eyes quickly darted to the two bullet holes on their wall.

_Oh no._

“Hillary! Hillary!” Bill screamed at the top of his lungs, looking for his wife.  _Shit, shit, shit._ He checked every nook and cranny on the first floor, but there was no sign of her, so he raced upstairs where the struggle from downstairs seemed to continue. Finally, he saw two bodies bathed in blood inside their bedroom. One belonged to a large man, and another, to his wife.

“Hillary!”

He quickly knelt and held her in his arms. She simply lay limp against her body, the bullet wound from her stomach oozing with blood.

“Hillary! Wake up! Wake up!” Bill began to sob.

“H-h-o-n-e-y…it…hurts.”

Those words came out from Hillary’s mouth, just a little more than the faint whisper.

“Baby! I’m here…”

It had been quite a while since Hillary had that violent encounter with the hitman, but the terrible incident keeps playing on her mind like a video on loop. Even when Bill was with her, she could still feel the rush of fear on top of the pain she felt in her body.

Bill quickly removed his shirt and used to wrap it around Hillary’s wound. He needed to stop the bleeding as soon as possible. He didn’t want to look further at the ghastly amount of blood that spilled on their floor. He reached for the phone to call 911.

Just as Bill was talking to the operator, Hillary felt her consciousness being pulled away, like a black hole was sucking all they energy from her body. She felt numb as she succumbed to the darkness.

If ever she was going to die, at least, she died in Bill’s arms, and she wouldn’t have had it any other way. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry :(((
> 
> UPDATE: I hear you loud and clear. I'm currently writing the next chapter and I'll upload as soon as I finish it!


	18. Ending I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Due to insistent public demand, here is the next chapter.

January 2028

Bill and Chelsea were directed to sit on the two large chairs in front of another singular large chair where Anderson Cooper was slated to sit. The lights, the equipment, and the crew were all set. Only the three people who would be facing the camera – Anderson, Bill, and Chelsea were left.

Anderson emerged from the other side of the room and warmly greeted the Clintons. This wasn’t the first time Bill sat down with Anderson for an interview. He, through the years, has appeared on CNN to comment on various issues. Chelsea, however, was a complete neophyte to the press. Bill had strictly forbidden the press from covering his daughter and he was planning to continue that tradition if he won the presidency. This interview, however, was an exception. It was Chelsea who had insisted that she be beside her father when he faced the toughest questions from the press.

Eight months ago, Bill, the governor of Arkansas, announced his candidacy for President of the United States. Like any other candidate, he was being grilled every day with policy questions and questions about his character. Among the questions of his character were the persistent rumors of his penchant to date women left and right, and his inability to settle down. America had not seen a president who wasn’t married for centuries. If elected, Bill would have been the first bachelor president in modern history.  

A few days ago, the Washington Post broke a bombshell regarding Bill’s short marriage, and what led to the untimely end of that marriage. The Post reported from multiple intelligence sources that his wife was none other than Hillary Rodham. None outside the intelligence community knew until then that Hillary Rodham was the star witness against President Donald Trump and his allies who were in cahoots with the Russian government to win the 2016 presidential election. Hillary, formerly a lawyer of the Trump Organization, turned into a whistleblower for the FBI and pointed the finger at those who had colluded with the Russians, including the 45th President himself. Her testimony in court was enough to file charges against Trump, and when made publicly available, was then used by the House of Representatives as a basis for impeachment. In the end, it was the sole voice of Hillary Rodham that toppled a budding autocracy. And for years, Bill Clinton carried that secret to himself, never speaking of his relation to the great patriot.

The entire country was shaken by this revelation. Who would have thought that Bill Clinton, an aspiring presidential candidate, has once been married to one of the greatest heroes this country has ever had. And with that fact finally made public, many questions had surfaced: What was his true motivation for running for president? Did she have any influence on him on his decision? Was she the reason why he never settled after his marriage to her? The country wanted to know desperately, and at the eve of the Superbowl, the Clintons agreed to sit down with Anderson Cooper for a special edition of 60 Minutes which would be aired right before the big sporting event.

“So, first of all, Governor Clinton, Miss Clinton, I am thankful that you agreed to sit down with us to shed light about the questions that surround you and your campaign,” Anderson began.

“I am happy to be here, Anderson,” Bill nodded.

“We are grateful that you gave us an avenue to express our side, Mr. Cooper,” Chelsea added.

“Let’s get started, then. First – Hillary Rodham. The Washington Post reported that you were married to the legendary whistleblower. For years, we have not known her identity. She was only known to the American public as Jane Doe, due to the sensitive nature of her testimony and the circumstance around her. But now, she is finally revealed to us. Can you tell us more about her, and about her life with you?”

Bill buttoned up his suit jacket and closed his eyes momentarily.

_Hilly, help me with this. I beg you._

Chelsea was looking at her Dad intently.

For the first time since her death, Bill spoke about his beloved wife.

_“_ When Donald Trump was elected, I was a young lawyer in New York. I thought I had everything – I had a job, I had a beautiful girlfriend, and I had lots of friends. But one day, all of it were gone. I was broke. I was kicked out of my apartment. My girlfriend cheated on me. From the top of Mount Everest, I suddenly took a dive and found myself in the deepest trenches in the oceans with no way out. I was hopeless. I didn’t know what to do. But this lovely woman by the name of Hillary Rodham needed a roommate to share the rent with. I had no money then, but she took pity on me. She let me in while I was broke, and I promised to pay her when I got a job. She was nothing but a very pleasant woman.”

As he told Hillary’s story, the image of her beautiful face appeared kept flashing in his memory. Bill remembered everything as it was just yesterday.

“One day, I accidentally walked into her living room while she was attending to some FBI agents. Knowing that she was a former Trump lawyer, I told my former colleagues that she was in cahoots with the Russians like her boss. I didn’t know that I unintentionally blew her cover as a whistleblower. She was mad at me. She kicked me out of her apartment. She said she never wanted to see me again.”

“But I didn’t want to sever my ties with her that way. I wanted to make amends, so I went up to her and apologized. I learned her story – her past and her present. I was deeply moved. I had never seen a person so selfless like her. I felt my heartstrings pull. I knew I needed to do something for her, to help her with her mission to bring justice, so I decided to let her come with me in Arkansas so that she can hide from the people who would want her dead. Not only that, I offered to marry her so that I could properly protect her.”

“Hold on,” said a struck Anderson, “You asked her to marry you? Just like that?”

“Just like that, yes. It’s the least I could do for her. I gave her a ring. She didn’t want it at first because she felt she was making me put my life on hold, and I wasn’t in love with her. I told her that it’s just temporary. If the FBI decides to move her elsewhere, we’ll divorce. Mrs. Clinton is harder to locate than Miss Rodham, don’t you think?”

“This sounds like it was directly picked up from a novel. How did your marriage go?” asked Anderson.

“At first, it was pretty normal. We were like roommates living in the same bunk. I didn’t mind really. Hillary thought she was being a bother so she had given me permission to see other women.”

“Did you?” Anderson quickly asked.

“No, but I tried, and I realized that I couldn’t,” Bill responded truthfully. “I didn’t know it, but I was slowly but surely falling in love with her. My God, she was a beautiful woman. Smart, charming, golden-hearted. She was very talented in law and politics too. She had a work ethic that I had not seen in any man or women I’ve worked with. She could be a very good public servant. If Hillary was alive, I am sure that she’ll be sitting in my chair, and I’ll be sitting at Chelsea’s.”

Anderson was looking at the Clintons with great interest.

“And how about you, Chelsea? How did you meet Hillary and how did you become part of the family?”

“When my Mom was in Arkansas, she was jobless, but she didn’t want to be too much of a burden to Dad so she applied to this daycare center run by the church in our community. She was my teacher. She was the first teacher to notice me and saw me as a person. One day, she saw me crying at the steps of my aunt’s apartment because she abruptly left. To this day, I never knew what happened to her. But I am not dwelling much into that because if she hadn’t left me, my Mom wouldn’t have found me.”

“I noticed that you called Hillary Rodham your _Mom_. Was she?” Anderson asked Chelsea.

“She was,” Chelsea replied without hesitation. “When I was first living with them, I called her Miss Hillary, and Dad Mr. Bill. They weren’t my real parents, but I never noticed the difference, either way. They loved me like their own, and I loved them as much. My only regret was that I never called her “Mom” when she was still alive.”

Chelsea was maintaining a strong front, fighting back the tears and keeping her voice from cracking.

 “It sounds like you were very happy then. What happened?”

Bill took the interview from there.

“One day, Hillary told me that he saw a man in front of our lawn. I didn’t pay him much attention until I saw him again in front of my office. That’s when I confirmed that we were being followed. I called her immediately and I told her to arm herself with my gun. My mother was to pick Chelsea up from school and I would be with her. We would then flee from Arkansas and then come back for Chelsea.”

“But that didn’t happen, did it?” Anderson seemed to catch on.

“No, it didn’t.” Bill shook his head, and the floodgates of his tears seem to break. The first drop of wetness pooled in his eyes “I found her bleeding in our bedroom. She was shot in the abdomen. Next to her was her attacker. He shot her! But not without a fight from my wife. She struggled against him, but she was able to shoot him in the chest and killed him as well. I scooped her into my arms,” Bill reenacted the scene in front on national TV, “and I applied first aid. I assured her that I wouldn’t leave her, and just as when I finished calling 911, I felt her pulse stop. She died in my arms, Anderson. She died in my arms. And that was the most painful way a husband would let go of his wife.”

By the time, Bill finished his story, both he and Chelsea were sobbing. He picked up a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her daughter, who used it to wipe her tears. She then handed the cloth back to her Dad and removed the tears from his own eyes. Anderson felt that the Clintons needed their own time alone so he asked their director to stop the shooting and let the father and daughter have their own moment of privacy.

When they were left alone, Chelsea cried on her Dad’s chest. The wounds left by Hillary’s death seemed to have split open again. They thought that they were completely over her tragic end, but their interview showed them how wrong they were.

“Dad, I miss Mom so much,” Chelsea sobbed quietly.

“Me too, Sweetheart. I miss your Mom every day,” Bill replied sadly.

“I hate that the press is dragging Mom’s name into your campaign. What has she had to with anything? Did your opponents really think you’re using her to advance your candidacy?” Chelsea angrily asked for an explanation.

“Sadly, Sweetie, that’s how politics work. I’m sorry that you’re getting hurt in all of this. But I hope you know how much I love Mom,” Bill said.

“I never doubted, Dad. That’s why I don’t believe the rumors of the prostitutes and all of that. You told me that the five months you had with Mom were enough to sustain you for a lifetime.”

“It is, Chelsea,” Bill replied. “And no matter what people say, I will never find a woman as loving and as compassionate and as caring as your Mom. Remember that,” he kissed her daughter’s forehead.

When the two had finally composed themselves, Anderson and the rest of the crew flocked back into the room to resume the rest of the interview. The Clintons, after a good cry, where visibly more chipper than earlier.

“So, shall resume?” Anderson asked.

Bill and Chelsea nodded simultaneously.

“Now, we turn to the subject of your womanizing. Given what we now know what happened with you and with Hillary Rodham, I think the public has a much more solid perspective on your character,” Anderson said, “your career had always been dogged with allegations of improper sexual conduct, extramarital affairs and even hiring prostitutes to satisfy your sexual appetite. Once and for all, I will ask you: Are any of these allegations true?”

Bill shook his head slowly.

“The nation now knows how much I love Hillary Rodham. And because of that, I cannot do what they accused me of doing. I cannot do that to my wife, no. I dared not insult nor tarnish her memory. I cannot do that to the love of my life. I cannot to that to the mother of my child.”

“Your child, meaning Chelsea?” Anderson sought to clarify.

Bill shook his head again. “No. Hillary was pregnant when she was killed.”

Everyone in the room – including Chelsea – was left speechless.

“Dad…” Chelsea gasped.

Bill was undeterred by the heightened reactions.

“The autopsy report conducted by the FBI says that Hillary was six weeks along when she was shot. We were just planning to see a specialist help us get pregnant but it appeared that she already was.”

“What did you feel when you learned that she was carrying your child?” Anderson asked.

“I was devastated. I thought of whether telling anyone about that development back then,” Bill replied, “but I figured that I would only add grief to her friends and family, so I kept her secret for a decade.

“What about Chelsea? Did she know?”

Chelsea shook her head. “No, it’s the first time I have heard of this.”

“I apologize, to you, Sweetie,” Bill was speaking to his daughter directly and not to Anderson, “I didn’t want you to look back every now and then and ask what if Mom had been alive. It would only hold you back. I want you to live your life to the fullest, just like Mom did with hers. That’s why she didn’t have any regrets when she died.”

“But what about you, Governor, have you lived your life to the fullest?”

“Me? Well, when I buried Hillary, I swore to her that I would seek for her justice and continue the work she had done. She was the one who inspired me to enter public service. By her example, public service should be a sacrifice, and not a privilege. Each of us is asked to sacrifice even just a little bit for our nation. Hillary? She made the ultimate sacrifice, and my quest to hold the highest office in the land – the sacrifices that I did for this cause -  was nothing compared to hers. But I think I have done everything to make her proud of me. I championed the causes dear to her heart, ever since she was working as a pro-bono in the Children’s Defense Fund. My accomplishments are hers too, for she taught me how to give back to the country we all love. If may be biased, but I can proudly say that my wife Hillary is one of the greatest Americans in history, and I am certain history will be kind to her too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of you might wonder why I named this chapter "Ending I". If you thought there will be two endings, yes you are correct. However, I will never tell which one is canon. Only one other person knows my real intended ending. After this, I'll upload the Ending II and the story will be wrapped up.


	19. Ending II

_January 2028_

Bill and Hillary were directed to sit on the two large chairs in front of another singular large chair where Anderson Cooper was slated to sit. The lights, the equipment, and the crew were all set. Only the three people who would be facing the camera – Anderson, Bill, and Hillary were left.

Anderson emerged from the other side of the room and warmly greeted the Clintons. This wasn’t the first time Bill sat down with Anderson for an interview. He, through the years, has appeared on CNN to comment on various issues. Hillary, however, was a complete neophyte to the press. She was a private citizen all her life, and today, it would all change. She had valued her privacy so much, but her duty to step into the spotlight was far more important than her desire for quiet and simple life.

Eight months ago, Bill, the governor of Arkansas, announced his candidacy for President of the United States. Like any other candidate, he was being grilled every day with policy questions and questions about his character. Among the questions of his character were the persistent rumors of his penchant to date women left and right, and his inability to settle down. America had not seen a president who wasn’t married for centuries. If elected, Bill would have been the first unmarried president in modern history. 

A few days ago, the Washington Post broke a bombshell regarding Bill’s short marriage, and what led to the untimely end of that marriage. The Post reported from multiple intelligence sources that his wife was none other than Hillary Rodham Clinton. None outside the intelligence community knew until then that Hillary Rodham was the star witness against President Donald Trump and his allies who were in cahoots with the Russian government to win the 2016 presidential election. Hillary, formerly a lawyer of the Trump Organization, turned into a whistleblower for the FBI and pointed the finger at those who had colluded with the Russians, including the 45th President himself. Her testimony in court was enough to file charges against Trump, and when made publicly available, was then used by the House of Representatives as a basis for impeachment. In the end, it was the sole voice of Hillary Rodham Clinton that toppled a budding autocracy. And for years, Bill Clinton carried that secret to himself, never speaking of his relation to the great patriot.

The report had debunked the Republicans’ attack against him that questioned what had happened during his short-lived marriage. Being the leading Democratic candidate, all aspects of his life were under scrutiny, and his marriage to Hillary Rodham was no exception. Because that marriage ended in a divorce, Republicans have publicly speculated that he was an abusive husband to Hillary. GOP operatives had extreme difficulty searching for public documents regarding their divorce, so they surmised that something was amiss. The absence of public documents led to speculations of cheating, and even marital rape. The rumors have dogged Bill’s campaign for months, but The Post’s story finally punctured the holes in the baseless attacks by the GOP.

Still, there were some lingering questions. Why the secrecy? What happened during the marriage? The country wanted to know desperately, and at the eve of the Superbowl, the Clintons agreed to sit down with Anderson Cooper for a special edition of 60 Minutes which would be aired right before the big sporting event.

“So, first of all, Governor Clinton, Miss Rodham-“

“Clinton,” Hillary corrected. “I kept my married name after the divorce.”

“Sorry, Mrs. Clinton. Welcome to 60 Minutes. I am thankful that you agreed to sit down with us to shed light on the questions that surround you and your campaign.”

“I am happy to be here, Anderson,” Bill nodded.

“Likewise,” Hillary added.

“Let’s get started, then. First, to you, Mrs. Clinton. The Washington Post has revealed your identity as the secret star witness against President Donald Trump, and along the time that you were married to Governor Clinton, you had been testifying against the deposed President. Can you tell us more about that?”

“Yes I can, Anderson,” Hillary replied. “It was because of that episode that we actually met. I resigned from my job from the Trump Organization to become a witness against the former President. I had no source of income so I looked for a roommate to share the rent with. Then the Governor came along. He too was broke but I took him in. He,” Hillary shifted her seat and debated internally whether to tell about Bill’s transgression back then, but a gentle squeeze on her hand gave her the permission that she needed.

“He outed my secret to his colleagues, unfortunately,” Hillary continued, “He didn’t mean it, though, and I already forgave him for it. With my cover blown, I had to leave New York immediately. Bill was very remorseful for what he did to me so he offered me his home in Arkansas, away from the prying eyes of the Trumps.”

“Furthermore, he asked me to marry him.”

“Marry? As in, right then and there?” Anderson clarified.

“Yes. I found out later that he already talked the FBI about participating in my cover. A fake marriage between us would have given me the perfect cover against, well, possibly the Russians. I thought that the plan was insane and it would mean Bill had to put his life on hold for me, so I was hesitant to accept the offer. But in the end, I did.”

“And you got married?”

“Yes. We had a secret ceremony arranged. We had a week-long honeymoon and then we flew directly Arkansas after that.”

“Wow, that sounds like it’s taken up straight from a suspense novel. But I want to know, how was it like being married to a complete stranger?” Anderson asked with great interest.

“It was like living with a roommate in the same bunker,” Hillary replied. “We were living casually at first but something amazing and unexpected happened.”

“What was it?” Anderson was curious.

Hillary smiled and reached for Bill’s hand. “We fell in love. I know it sounds something that is ripped off from the movies but we did. I don’t really care how this might come off to voters. It happened, and I am not going to apologize for it. I can’t apologize for who I fell in love with.”

From her opposite side, Bill was grinning like a lovesick schoolboy. And why wouldn’t he be? The love of his life just professed her love for him on national TV!

“How did you realize that you were in love with each other?”

It was Bill who responded this time. “There was a terrible episode in our relationship,” he said, referring to Hillary’s kiss with Robert. “I was devastated, and she was too. And that’s when we realized that we truly, deeply care about each other. That this wasn’t a casual agreement anymore. We fell in love for real. As they say, only when something worse happens do you realize that you are actually happy. We realized then that we were happy being in each other’s heart, that there is no pretense to what we are feeling. It’s as real as it can be.”

“For a fleeting moment,” Hillary continued, “we thought we could live the life that we have dreamed. I was planning to go out of the witness protection program and live in Arkansas for good. We were going to adopt Chelsea and begin a family of our own. But the fates had something else in mind.”

“And that is…?”

Bill held Hillary tighter.

“I was…” Hillary looked past beyond the camera and into the solid wall. “I was shot by a hired assailant. Inside my house.”

Anderson tried to mask any emotions in his face, especially shocked. He was mostly successful, but the slight inward gasp could not be missed.

“Who hired the assailant?” Anderson asked.

Bill replied, “Based on the FBI investigation, it was who we were expecting: the Russians. We were not privy to how they were able to find her, but there was no doubt that it was them.”

“I was shot in the belly,” Hillary added. “To be honest, I would have preferred that I didn’t survive the attack because when I woke up from surgery, I found out that I was pregnant, and the bullet killed our unborn child.”

Bill hung his head low, trying not to cry in front of the country. Hillary was much less controlling.

“You can’t imagine how devastated Bill and I were when we learned that. Our baby died saving me, its Mom. I blamed myself for the loss,” Hillary began tearing up. “And on top of that, I had to be separated from Bill. The FBI did not allow me to go out of the witness protection program. We had to go through the divorce, and I moved to San Diego.”

“Once I was in San Diego, I began a new life as Hillary Clinton, a newly divorced woman. While I was there, I began to develop depression, because I still blamed myself for our child’s death, and I was separated from Bill. I almost killed myself. I drank a ton of sleeping pills, but I wasn’t successful. I was saved.”

“Up to this day, I believe that it was our baby who saved Hillary on the second occasion,” Bill said.

Hillary nodded. “Yes, I believe so too. And that helped me get back up from my depression. Our baby didn’t want me to end my life. Our baby wanted me to live, and so I did.”

“Months later, I received a thick folder from the FBI. They said that Bill told them to give it to me. I opened it, and I saw that it was the papers regarding the trust fund Bill set up for me. He told me, in a letter, that this was the reason that he was coming home late at night in the early days of our marriage when I thought he was cheating. I left me a considerable amount of money, enough for me to rebuild my life. Even at a distance, Bill loved me. Bill and our baby rooted for me, and I could not let them down. So slowly, I climbed back up. I took odd jobs and studied to be a teacher at night. After years of hard work, I earned my degree in education. I was able to teach in a public school in San Diego. I had a decent job, and I was living a quiet life all by myself.”

“If you’re living a quiet life in San Diego, what made you decide to finally break your silence?”

Hillary replied, “When Bill ran for president, I immediately signed up to volunteer for his campaign. I knew him better than anyone. I knew he would be good for America. And despite the ugly rumors swirling around him, I wasn’t fooled. I knew Bill. The journalists didn’t. There was no way that he would be hopping around with prostitutes. No. He loved Chelsea too much for that. He can’t risk being seen as a bad father because he knew how much the bad news would devastate Chelsea.”

“I was contemplating of breaking my silence for months, especially when the lies about me being a battered wife surfaced. I had to clear myself with the FBI. I took action a few months ago, but then the Washington Post story broke, I begged the FBI to release me from the program. And so they did. A few days ago, I flew to Arkansas State Capitol, because I knew I’d find him there. I saw him in the steps, giving an interview to local reporters. He saw me from afar. He interrupted the interview and ran to me. That’s how the now infamous scene of Bill and me reuniting had happened.”

Hillary was referring to the viral clip of Bill running towards her outside the Arkansas State Capitol, and kissing her like how Al Gore kissed Tipper Gore.

“Some say it was a political spectacle,” Anderson commented.

Hillary blushed a little, wiping her tears. “Well, if they saw it that way, then let them be. I can’t persuade them otherwise. After all, the voters were never married to Bill. I was.”

Bill secretly loved that hint of possessiveness in her voice during that last sentence.

“Now that you are reunited, are there any plans of resuming your marriage?”

“Bill is in a busy time in his life right now. Whatever he decides, I will be in full support of it,” Hillary said diplomatically.

But the squeeze of his hand signaled that she was thinking of something else.

Anderson decided not to press further and instead grill Bill on the more important issues that faced his campaign and the nation. Hillary watched Bill easily glide through each question, in awe of his intelligence and charm. Like any other loving wife, Hillary was bursting with pride seeing Bill lay his plans for the country. She had been very fortunate to have been married to such a wonderful and selfless man.

At the end of the interview, Bill and Hillary shook hands with Anderson and quickly left the adjacent room, where Chelsea was watching the entire interview. She was beaming with pride at her parents. She approached Hillary, hugging her as if her life depended on it. It wasn’t every day that she got to experience the touch of her Mom.

“I am so proud of you Mom. You’re so brave,” Chelsea said. “And you too, Dad.”

“My heart jumps with joy hearing you say that,” Hillary kissed Chelsea’s crown.

Bill patted his daughters’ shoulder. “And we couldn’t have been prouder of you, Chels. You brought us so much joy.”

“I have the best parents ever,” Chelsea said. “Absentee or otherwise.”

“Oh, Chelsea,” Hillary cupped the girl’s face. “I am glad I am just in time for your puberty.”

Bill laughed. “You give her the talk, Hillary. It’s your turf.”

Hillary rolled her eyes playfully. “I just came back and you already giving me work to do.”

He kissed his ex-wife’s forehead. “Don’t worry. I’ll guide you.”

When Chelsea left the room and they were alone to themselves, Bill pulled Hillary close and basked in her scent, the scent he missed for eleven long years.

“I missed you,” he whispered in her ear, caressing her hair.

“I missed you too, Billy,” she replied. “I’m sorry I came back in the most inconvenient time in your life.”

“Oh, no, not at all!” Bill dismissed her guilt. “I don’t think there is ever a wrong time to love.”

“You still love me?” Hillary smiled at his chest.

“Of course. I’ve prayed so hard that one day, you’ll return. And my prayers paid off!” Bill almost teared up.

“Oh, Billy,” she choked, “I am really touched by your faith in us. What if I never came back?”

“Well, I will still believe that I am the last man you ever loved. Am I?” he asked.

“The current…and the last,” she confirmed happily.

“I thought so,” Bill chuckled. “If that’s e case, then there shouldn’t be a problem moving forward.”

Hillary frowned. “What do you mean?”

“It means, we continue where we left off.”

Bill pulled a familiar velvet box from his pocket, the same one Hillary saw eleven years ago and returned to him after their divorce.

“You told me when I first proposed to you that I should give this ring only to the woman I love, but I said it’s yours for the meantime,” he said. “Well, I think I gave it to the right woman the first time, and this will be hers for good,” he opened the box to reveal the ring Hillary wore alongside her wedding ring for the short period that they were married. Bill took her hand and slowly slipped the ring on her finger. She couldn’t properly talk due to the overwhelming emotions that drowned her at that moment, but they both knew what her response was.

When the ring was fully inserted in her finger, Hillary broke down, never happier in her life. When she returned to Bill’s life, she never had any expectations that she was going to be a part of his life again. But barely a week had passed since her return, and Bill couldn’t wait to resume the life that was stolen from them.

Bill cupped her face. “I love you, Hillary. I can’t wait to be married to you again. Nothing can ever separate us now, except Death. Heck, Death tried once, but we won. I’m sure Death won’t bother us for a long, long time.”

Hillary giggled in spite of her tears. “I so agree. And I love you too, Bill. And Chelsea. And our unborn baby.”

Bill pulled Hillary to his side, and they left the room hand in hand, braver, more determined and hopeful for their future, no matter what happened.

After all, they were stronger together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally! *sniff* This is the end of my story. I hope you liked it. I hope you enjoyed reading this. You are all awesome readers!


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